Crush
by wolfgrl1423
Summary: RenXMaki. Maki has been obsessed with Winner for as long as she can remember. But when her hopes of being with him are beginning to dwindle, her increase in stress sparks the interest of another. If she isn't careful, she might become his next meal!
1. Walking home with a vampire

_A/N: My first ever time writing for Karin =) _

* * *

"Can't you do this one thing for me, Ren? Please, oh _please_?" Karin pleaded to her older brother as he stared down at her with a slight scowl.

Ren knew this behavior, and wondered why years of living with Karin hadn't made him immune to it yet. He had hoped to grab a bite peacefully tonight, but his younger sister always had to ruin his night with her sorrowful brown eyes that he just couldn't say no to.

"You couldn't have asked Anju to do this...chore for you?" he asked back in annoyance as he was forced to look away from Karin. He was unable to take the sight of her large whimpering eyes for long. He noted her pout out of the corner of his eye as she leaned in closer to give him a lethal dose of her best puppy-dog eyes.

"You know I can't do that, Ren!" she exclaimed as she clenched her hands at her sides before continuing, "she's always looking out for me and Usui-kun during the day, so I couldn't possibly ask her to do something _else _for us at night too!" she proclaimed as she held her palms to her chest worriedly.

Ren merely rolled his golden eyes at her before he sent her a piercing glare, "Fine, I'll do it this _once_, but don't expect this to become a regular thing," he gave in with a growl. He always gave in to her, and secretly hated that Karin always got what she wanted when it came to her human.

He supposed he could do nothing about the matter, though. He had tried multiple times to exterminate the annoying, weird eyed boy, but he always tended to get interrupted by the others in his family. Anju would speak to him like a child about how they _needed _Usui to watch over Karin during the day, and his father never wanted his _dearest_ daughter to be sad for even a moment if it could be helped. His mother stayed relatively neutral, but favored his father's side on the situation when asked.

He held in the need to grimace at the predicament his peaceful family had gotten into since Usui had shown up. Before the human's appearance, they had gone about their lives without a hitch, excluding the ever-so-often times they'd stress over Karin's weird vampire "condition."

"Oh thank you, Ren! Make sure you walk Maki _all_ the way home too! After that you can do whatever you want," Karin promised with a smile as she clapped her hands together happily, "I don't always get the chance to stay over with Usui-kun, even if it's only to do homework!" Karin exclaimed in her usual high pitched girlie giggle.

He only lightly grunted in response before pushing himself off the sofa to stand up and make his way to the door. Karin followed him out to give him rather vague directions, but he knew he'd be able to scent out her friend's family if they got lost.

He'd walk Karin's little friend home before taking the time to find a woman to release the tension he always seemed to get after dealing with his sister.

Sometimes he wondered if Karin was adopted, and sometimes he wished she was. Perhaps her similarities to their grandmother were completely coincidental, and her real family were in hiding somewhere far away. Maybe even outside of Japan.

_If only_, he thought to himself as he exited the large black mansion that stood a top a grassy hill. He paused as he glanced down at the small apartment complex that stood at the edge of their lands, and at the edge of their barrier. It was where Kenta Usui lived, and where Karin was heading to spend the night.

He watched as his little sister hurried down the hill to his house, and to _him_.

It had been a full year since Karin came out to the family that Usui had asked her out and they had decided to publicly date. The rest of the family had agreed that it solved their problems of having to worry about how she fared during the day, and accepted him without a hitch. _He_ was a completely _different_ story.

While he couldn't deny that he secretly reveled in the fact that his sister had found someone to watch over her instead of having to rely on her family all of the time, he still wasn't entirely welcoming to her human either. He knew that Usui felt the least comfortable around him, and with good reason.

Ren wouldn't deny that he had promised to follow through with a couple of death threats should Usui be unfaithful to his sister whenever he could get the human alone. Or that he had deliberately gotten Usui lost with the use of his bats when he had tried to make "secret" late night visits to Karin's room.

It didn't matter to him that Karin believed she was in love with Usui, Ren knew the truth. He had learned the hard way that humans were only meant to be a food source. Ignoring the pain that filled his chest as an image of a brunette high school girl entered his mind, Ren felt his lips pull down into a slight frown as his form thinned into a black line before he quickly disappeared altogether into the night.

* * *

"Where's Karin?" Maki asked to the empty library as she let out a shudder when another set of creaking noises sounded in the halls.

"It's only the building, Maki. Only the building," she soothed herself before glancing back at her math book. She needed to finish her homework tonight, or she'd fall behind and be stuck rushing to catch up like Karin was forced to do while trying to balance a job _and_ a boyfriend.

Maki let out a sigh as her eyelids lowered and she twirled her pencil around her fingers, deep in thought. She wondered how it felt to have someone as faithful as Usui at her side, just like Karin had. It seemed utterly unfair to Maki. Karin had never gotten along with the opposite sex for as long as she had known her.

Sure, Karin was beautiful and busty, but were looks really everything? She gave her petite form a quick glance before she let out a defeated sigh and slouched over her textbook. Karin was really naive and a bit clumsy at times, traits that Maki would've pegged as annoying to guys.

_But Usui loves those things about her,_ she thought solemnly before her eyes widened and she quickly sat up straight in alarm. What was she doing? She couldn't hate Karin for being who she was. They had talked about this before and Maki had admitted that she could never hate her...even though Karin had been completely oblivious to the fact that Maki had been talking about her and Winner's relationship.

"Karin is my best friend, and I need to be happy for her!" Maki insisted in a whisper as she brought her fists up to her chest in determination. She would be there for Karin, no matter what amount of self doubt _she_ was going through.

Suddenly, her phone began to ring and she let out a squeak of surprise before rushing to shut off the ringer and glanced at the caller ID.

"Karin?" she murmured in surprise when she saw the picture of her best friend staring back at her on her phone screen. She flipped the phone open to whisper a greeting to her.

"Maki!" Karin exclaimed excitedly, and Maki flinched at the sheer volume of her voice before she heard her friend continue, "I'm glad I caught you! Usui-kun and I decided to study together tonight, so I sent my older brother Ren to walk you home. Do you mind?" she asked as Maki let out a sigh.

Of course Karin would pull something like this on her. Kenta Usui had been taking up a lot of Karin's time recently...it was almost like he was stealing Karin away from her. _No, bad Maki! _She thought with a scowl, _be happy for her! _

"Oh, it's perfectly fine, Karin! You better make sure you actually study though!" Maki teased as she heard Karin let out a scream of embarrassment.

"Maki! Don't say that! Of course we'll stay on task! You're so embarrassing!" she exclaimed before Maki let out a soft laugh, mindful of the quiet library, before telling her best friend a quick goodbye and hanging up the phone.

"I guess I should head outside to wait for her brother," Maki murmured as she began packing her things. She had just placed her biology book inside her purse when she was startled by the sudden appearance of the librarian.

She was a short, stoat woman with long brown hair that had been pulled up into a tight bun. She wore a dark brown business suit that cleanly finished off the very cliché look of a typical librarian. The woman pushed her large rimmed glasses back to rest on the bridge of her nose before she glared at Maki.

"Were you on a cell phone just now?" she questioned sternly as Maki let out a scared whimper before slowly nodding her head.

"Next time it's mine," the woman threatened before hurrying away to finish her other librarian duties. Maki relaxed her shoulders the instant the woman disappeared before pulling her blue purse over her head to rest on her shoulder while the bag rested against the opposite hip. She adjusted it against her chest for a moment before making her way to the exit.

She walked towards the winding staircase that led to the entrance of the library as she hummed lightly to herself. It was about time she got to just go home and actually accomplish something there. Typically, she and Karin would spend all of their time at the library doing homework when Kenta wasn't around.

She had just made it out the door when she realized something. She had never met Karin's brother before, so how would she know who to look for while she waited? She pulled out her cell and was about to call Karin back when she heard the sound of soft footfalls making their way towards her.

She paused as her head came up to look for the source of the sound, but she couldn't see anything at first. She also realized that she had spent a lot more time in the library than she had previously thought.

It was dark out and the only light source for miles came from the library building that she had just exited, which really didn't offer much. A visible shiver shook her as she felt goosebumps run down her arms at the idea of a creeper waiting for her in the bushes.

"Hey," a deep voice greeted suddenly, and Maki nearly jumped out of her skin. When she had calmed down a bit, she adverted her green eyes and squinted in the direction the person's voice had come from. It took her a moment, but slowly her eyes focused on a figure hidden in the shadows of the trees nearby.

"Hello?" she called back cautiously as she took a small step backwards towards the library. If she kept her motions gradual, she could easily run back into the library for protection should the stranger become a threat.

The figure then began to walk towards her, and she sucked in a sharp breath the moment his silver hair was bathed in the moonlight and she got a glimpse of his icy cold golden eyes for the first time. Simply put, he was the most beautiful man she had ever seen. Excluding Winner, of course.

"I am Karin's older brother, Ren. I'm here to walk you home," he stated nonchalantly as he casually slid his hands into his black jean pockets. Maki had to blink a couple of times before she answered. She wanted to make sure that she simply wasn't imagining him, and that there was an _actual _person standing there.

_How could I not have noticed such a good looking guy before?_ She asked herself, though blushed when she noted that she was openly staring at him. His lips quirked upward in a smug smirk before he stared intently into her forest green eyes.

"Shall we go? Or would you rather stare at me all night instead?" he teased as his cocky smirk remained in place atop his thin lips. Maki's blush deepened his comment before she gripped her purse strap and approached him confidentially.

"No, let's go," she replied with a smug smirk of her own while hiding her inner fears from his view. He seemed slightly surprised by her answer, but easily fell in step beside her as they walked down the alleyway together.

_I wonder why I've never met Karin's brother before, _Maki wondered to herself as the two continued in silence. She was about to comment on it when the sound of familiar sirens and frantic cries filled the air.

"Vampire! Vampire!" Winner's melodramatic voice cried out in warning as he appeared before them with the strange silver poles he carried around with him all the time.

"Winner-kun?" Maki blinked, though noted with surprise when Ren stiffened next to her. Why would he be nervous?

"Miss Karin-san's friend!" Winner exclaimed as he turned to her with a smile and a friendly wave, and Maki's head sank in defeat. Would the man ever call her by her real name? She'd even be happy if he called her by her last name. Anything was better than "Miss Karin-san's friend."

"What are you doing out here this late?" he asked in a disapproving voice, "you know it's dangerous for a young woman to be walking around these streets alone! My poor, dearest Karin would be devastated if she knew her friend was doing such a dangerous act on her own!" he exclaimed dramatically as he put his hands against his face worriedly.

"I'm not alone. Karin's older brother, Ren, is walking me home," Maki replied calmly as she glanced over to Ren. The sudden change in his features caused Maki to pause as she noted his dark expression as he glared back at Winner, who remained oblivious to the threat that Ren was presenting.

He set his silver tools on the ground before reaching into his "vampire hunter" trench coat to retrieve a silver pistol. He glanced at the open holster for a moment before beginning to load the gun with what looked like silver bullets.

"Don't you ever give up?" Maki asked as she gazed at her fellow classmate with hooded lids, "there aren't any vampires around," she added in sarcastically for good measure. Winner merely closed the holster on the gun before standing up and glancing at the moon.

"I wouldn't expect ignorant people to know of those evil monsters' existence. But I will not stop until there isn't a blood sucking devil left on this Earth! It is my sole mission as a Vampire Hunter to protect the innocent, such as yourself miss Karin-san's friend, from their evil clutches. Only then will my raging soul be at peace!" Winner exclaimed wholeheartedly with his free hand pressed to his chest.

Maki couldn't help the blush that coated her cheeks at the sheer passion she felt radiate off him. He was so inspiring and charming when he ranted on about his duties as a Vampire Hunter. Even though Maki knew he was delusional, she couldn't help but be swayed by that handsome face and those pretty-boy blue eyes.

Suddenly, his silver tools began to shake and toddle against the concrete of the street as Winner let out a cry of surprise.

"A vampire is close! I must go now miss Karin-san's friend, and slay the horrible beast! Give Karin-san my regards when you see her, Karin-san's older brother!" he yelled as he quickly ran in the direction his tools had pointed to. Maki noted a second later that an odd cluster of bats flew in the direction Winner had ran. She couldn't help but wonder if maybe his words were true, and that there really _were_ vampires running around town.

She snorted at the idea before glancing up at Ren when she swore she heard him mutter something along the lines of: "that'll keep the idiot busy for awhile."

"Did you say something?" she asked curiously, though felt her courage dissipate when her emerald eyes were suddenly trapped in his golden stare.

"No," he answered impassively, "let's keep going," he added as he started walking ahead of her.

"Uh – right!" Maki replied as she jogged to catch up to the taller man. When she reached his side, she couldn't help but look up at him in awe, for he stood a good head or two taller than she did. _A rare find in a Japanese man_, she thought, but quickly adverted her eyes with a blush when he glanced down at her when he seemed to sense that he was under her scrutinizing gaze.

He was _really_ good looking...but he had a sinister look to him as well. Maki was sure that if she had seen him on the street before then, she would've sprinted in the opposite direction out of fear. Also, red flags eerily kept going off every time she looked at him. Something about him just didn't seem right, but what was it?

"Karin gave me simple directions, so I'm not sure how far you want me to walk you," Ren informed her suddenly, and Maki quickly surveyed the area before she noted that they were fairly close to her house.

"Here's fine. I live close, so I should be alright," Maki replied with a smile, "thanks for walking me," she added, and he merely looked down his nose at her before he shrugged it off and turned to walk towards the livelier part of town.

Maki watched him go before a rush of courage and adrenaline hit her, and she yelled out for him to wait. He paused before turning towards her with a raised brow.

"Are you single, Ren?" she asked and noted with a wide grin how a momentary look of surprise crossed his features before his eyes narrowed slightly.

"For the moment," he replied indifferently.

"Wanna grab a bite with me?"

* * *

_A/N: Woo exciting stuff! ^^ my first try at RenXMaki so be kind! Also if anyone is curious, there is a short story in the manga of Ren as a young boy going to high school and there's this girl who reaches out to him. I don't think anything happens between them, but I thought it'd be interesting if something did ^^. _


	2. Having dessert with a vampire

Maki felt a smug smile tug at the edges of her lips as Ren continued to stare at her for a moment in shock. She had been able to successfully remove that stoic expression from his face, which had been replaced by widened golden eyes and mouth slightly a gap.

"Well?" she coaxed with a knowing smile as she folded her arms across her chest, "are you coming or not?"

He blinked at her before he shut his eyes briefly, and a half smile spread across his face. A moment later he opened them again, and they shimmered with a mischievous glint as he surveyed her.

"Frankly I'm surprised," he admitted with his sly smile still in place, "I've never been asked out by a girl before, it's always been the other way around," he added as he lazily slid his hands into his pockets, "but I suppose a simple meal wouldn't hurt,"

"Wonderful!" Maki grinned as she clapped her hands together contemptibly, "Let's go to Julians!"

Ren merely shrugged in response, "Lead the way," he stated as he closed the distance between them, and Maki turned in the direction of Julian's before strolling in step with Ren. They walked for a time before Maki began to feel uncomfortable in the unnerving silence that had fallen over the two.

"So, Ren – " Maki began as the taller man turned to look back at her. She paused when she noted that his smile had changed slightly. It had gone from smug to almost predatory, and she swore that she saw a sharpened fang peeking out from under his upper lip.

The observation unsettled her somewhat as she lost her train of thought, and slowed to a stop. Ren's eyes slightly brightened in confusion before he paused in step beside her.

"What is it?" he asked curiously as Maki blinked at him a couple of times before answering,

"Oh – um...nothing! Nothing at all!" she laughed lamely as she felt her face heat up in a blush. There was _no_ way that Ren was some kind of...monster. _It's silly that I even thought about it_, she thought with an inward laugh as she tried to calm down her raging nerves.

"You're weird," Ren smirked with the slight shake of his head.

"Why thank you," Maki replied with a smirk of her own as she walked confidently ahead of him. She heard him let out a laugh as the sound of his feet fell in step behind her.

* * *

They had made it to Julian's after a lengthened stroll to the little diner. Their small talk on the way there had taken up a lot more time that Maki had imagined. She wasn't complaining though. Ren was something else, and Maki felt her heart flutter lightly in her chest every time she got caught in his golden gaze.

Of course, that all changed the moment they walked into the diner. Maki noticed that Ren became almost immediately distracted as he surveyed the restaurant, and seemed to give the women in it his _full_ attention.

Maki ignored the jealous pang that resounded in her chest when she noted that the woman he tended to stare at were unbelievably beautiful. Each one had large, innocent and perfect hair that seemed to glisten from the reflections in the diner light. They also were _women,_ as in they were curvy in all the right places. She knew that her looks couldn't compare to _those_ women.

"Hello!" Karin and Usui-kun's manager exclaimed excitedly as he skipped over to the two, "table for two?" he asked as Maki gave him a smile before nodding. Ren seemed to be pulled out of his trance at the sound of the manager's voice, and he followed the man as he led the two to an empty booth.

"Here you go!" the manager smiled as he placed menus on the side of table before a sparkle entered his eyes as he ogled the two, "oh, to be young again!" he exclaimed suddenly before he twirled away. Maki stared after the man wide-eyed before she let out a laugh at his exuberant antics.

She had met the manager a couple of times when she'd come to visit Karin at work, and particularly enjoyed watching him tease her best friend and her boyfriend from time to time. She pulled her bag over her shoulders as she rested it against the wall beside her before turning her attention back to Ren.

She saw fire for a moment when she noted him looking at the women in the restaurant again. Well, a particular woman to be exact. Maki followed his gaze to note that he was staring at a fairly plain looking woman crouched over her table on the opposite side of the restaurant.

Her hair was pulled up in a messy bun, and there were dark rings under her doe-like brown eyes as she rubbed at her nose a little with a napkin. She looked completely different from the other women in Julian's, but Maki felt her heart go out to her. She looked like she hadn't slept in days, and was stressing over something very troublesome.

"You know," Maki huffed lightly as she sat back in her seat, "you aren't doing a very good job on this little date of ours," she teased as Ren's eyes shifted back to her face before a smile tugged at the ends of his thin lips.

"Who said this was a date?" he asked back as Maki shrugged with an opened toothed grin.

"I thought it was," she answered with another careless shrug.

"You're not my type," Ren replied as his smile faltered slightly.

"Oh?" Maki asked back while not taking his statement personally as her grin stayed perfectly in place, "then is that woman your type?" she asked as she inclined her head towards the stressed woman he had been staring at before. He followed her gaze before his eyes slightly widened, and he reverted his calculating gaze back to her face.

"Of sorts," he replied honestly before he made himself more comfortable in the booth and rested his right arm on top of the booth cushion. Maki eyed him for a moment before her gaze found the stressed woman again. She wondered what it was about her that called out to Ren. Why she even cared, she didn't know.

_I just met the guy_, she scolded in her mind, _there's no reason to be jealous that Ren isn't looking at me like that_.

"Hello!" the manager's voice rang out suddenly as the couple jumped slightly before they glanced up at him, "have you two decided on what you'd like to order?"

"I'd like a slice of cheesecake, please," Maki chirped as she turned to look at Ren expectedly.

"I'm fine," he told the man as he handed him back the menu. Maki cocked her head slightly to the side as she wondered if he was doing alright. She was starting to feel bad about asking him to come along with her. If he wasn't going to enjoy any of Julian's food with her, than what was the point of asking him out in the first place?

When the manager twirled away to place Maki's order, she caught Ren's gaze as she felt another blush coming on before she hurriedly looked away. A crooked smile spread across Ren's face as he glanced at her for a moment before he rested his elbows on the table and inched towards her.

"You've gone quiet," he noted before his smile turned into a grin, "that's gotta be some kind of miracle," he teased as Maki sent him an agitated glare before shutting her eyes.

"Hey! I do have self-control you know," she huffed, "I just don't feel like talking right now," she added with another huff.

"You're cute," Ren complimented suddenly, and Maki turned to look at him in surprise, "it's too bad Karin wouldn't approve of me moving in on her best friend,"

"I thought you said I wasn't your type," Maki pointed out, not believing his change of attitude could be sincere.

"You're not," he agreed, "I normally don't go for the cute girls. But since _you_ asked me out on this date, I had no other choice, " Maki stared at him through lowered lids before responding,

"You make it sound like I dragged you here," she grumbled, feeling less than enchanted by his comment.

"In a sense, you did," he replied with a slight shrug, "and I didn't know how to feel about it, but I've been happily surprised in the outcome. I should let more girls ask me out, maybe then I'll hookup faster," he added with a smirk as Maki turned away from him then.

"You're despicable," she growled as Ren let out a dark laugh.

"Took you long enough to realize that about me," he answered. Maki turned back to stare at him as she wondered how Karin and Ren were related. They looked nothing alike, and _acted _nothing alike either. Karin was sweet, innocent, and naive while Ren seemed to be cold, knowledgeable, and possibly somewhat of a pervert.

_Could they be in a foster family?_ Maki wondered. It would explain why there wasn't much of a family resemblance. Karin was somewhat of an oddball as well, though. Maki had met her parents once, and her little sister Anju. They all looked alike, and yet Karin didn't seem to resemble either of her parents. While Maki was left deep in thought, she was brought back to reality when her cheesecake slice was presented to her by the manager.

"Enjoy!" he chirped, "maybe you two lovebirds can share the piece, hmm?" he suggested as Maki laughed while Ren sent him a knowing smirk. He gave the two another wide smile before skipping off to help another customer.

Maki grabbed her fork from the table as she cut off a piece of the cheesecake for a taste. When she put the little piece in her mouth she nearly groaned aloud in pleasure at how good the dessert was. She and Karin would share a piece of Julian's cheesecake every now and then when they'd go to the diner together. It was by far the best cheesecake in town, and quite possibly in the country.

She was about to cut off another piece when she noted that Ren was openly staring at her. She blinked up at him before cutting off a small piece of the treat, scooping it up with her fork, and presenting it to him.

"Wanna try a piece?" she asked sweetly as Ren backed away from it.

"I'm not hungry," he replied with the slight clench of his jaw as Maki gave him a smile.

"Don't be like that," she teased with a wink, "Julian's cheesecake is the best in town. You'll love it, I promise!" she added as she brought the fork closer to his mouth, and he retreated further into his seat.

"I don't like cheesecake," he insisted before grabbing for the fork and presenting _her_ with it, "why don't I feed it to you, instead?" he offered with a knowing smirk as Maki blushed slightly at the idea of him feeding her.

After a moment of thinking it over, she shrugged before opening her mouth, and Ren gently slid the fork in between her lips. She closed her lips over the utensil before Ren slid it out and Maki slowly chewed on the dessert as she smiled in utter bliss.

"It's heaven on a plate," Maki sighed happily as she noted Ren cut off another piece of the cheesecake before presenting her with it once more. She blushed slightly at his actions, but allowed him to feed her again.

They repeated the process again and again until the cheesecake slice had completely disappeared. She noted as she chewed on the last piece that there was a smug glint in his auric eyes. She ignored the nagging feeling that she was an ignorant sheep being fattened up by a hungry wolf, and let out a sigh as she stretched her arms over her head.

"That was delicious!" she grinned as a small smile tugged at Ren's lips in response while he set the fork down on her empty plate. The manager seemed to take note that they were done, for he appeared a second later with the bill and an elated giggle.

"Oh, to be young again," he cooed as he covered his mouth with his hand to muffle another excited giggle before taking off to help a couple who had just walked through the door. The two glanced at each other before they both reached out for the check, their fingers faintly making contact. They locked eyes for a moment before Ren grabbed hold of the little sheet of paper and retracted his hand.

"I got it," Ren assured her.

"But you didn't order anything, or eat any of the cheesecake," Maki pointed out as she went to reach for her wallet. But by the time she found it, Ren had already walked off to pay the bill at the front of the restaurant. She glanced slightly to her right to spot a couple of dollar bills folded on top of the table. She let out a defeated sigh, _he even paid the tip, _she thought as she gathered her things and got up to meet Ren at the register.

"Have a goodnight you two!" the manager called out just as Maki made it to Ren's side and they made their way to the door, "behave yourselves, and always use protection!" he added as Maki let out an embarrassed cry while Ren staggered slightly in surprise.

The two locked eyes for a moment, and Maki gave him a hopeless shrug while Ren placed his hand on the side of his head and growled slightly in anger.

"Well, that was fun," Maki smiled as the two began walking back to her house, "though that manager _had_ gone a little overboard," she added with a small laugh as Ren stared straight ahead. Maki felt her courage dwindle slightly at his lack of attention.

"Thank you for paying the bill, even though you didn't eat anything," Maki offered with another smile, but he still remained silent as he gazed around the area. Maki wondered what had caught his attention this time, and glanced around for any good looking women suspiciously.

Suddenly, Ren's arm shot out, stopping her flat in her tracks. She looked up at him in confusion and surprise as she noted his eyes narrow slightly.

"Don't move," he commanded as he took a step to the right to block her body with his own. Maki clutched her bag closer to her body as she gave him a curt nod. He took a few wary steps forward as he searched the area for a moment before turning around to face her.

"Never mind. I guess it was just my – " Ren began before he was cut off when something sharp impaled him from behind and the weapon tore through his front. Maki let out a scream when she saw the sword glisten with Ren's blood in the moonlight as the weapon was quickly retracted and Ren fell to his knees with a bloody cough.

Maki looked up from Ren's bent form to spot an older man standing behind him. He was wearing a uniform similar to Winner's, and had long blond hair that was swept behind his shoulders in a low ponytail. His pale blue eyes caught sight of her over Ren's form as they narrowed at her.

"What are you doing out at night with a vampire, girl?" he asked as Maki's eyes widened. _Vampire?_ She thought as she glanced down at Ren in surprise.

"You didn't know?" the man asked her, seeming to draw his own conclusions from her expression, "then he hasn't fed from you yet. You can still be saved," he added as he moved around Ren's form to make his way towards her.

"D – Did you kill Ren?" Maki stammered as she looked frantically from the stranger to Ren's hunched form, and then back to the man still vastly approaching her.

"Come with me, child," he urged, ignoring her question.

"Answer me!" she yelled back as she took a few hasty steps away from him.

"Why do you resist my help?" the man asked in puzzlement as he slowed to a stop, "I have just saved your life and your soul. You should be grateful to me," he stated logically as Maki sent him a glare.

"Ren wasn't going to hurt me, or anyone else! You're the one who's hurt people tonight!" she screamed at him, though felt her courage die out as the man's eyes narrowed dangerously before he brought his sword up towards his face. Ren's blood still coated the weapon as the man glared daggers at her.

"So, the vampire has bewitched you, has he? Then there is no use in me trying to talk any sense into you," he replied as he quickened his pace once again, "you too, shall die," he added as he brought his arm back and prepared himself to strike.

Maki's forest green eyes widened as she quickly backed up and turned to run, only to be stopped when someone grabbed a hold of her. She let out a frightened scream, assuming it was the blond stranger, but was slightly relieved when she saw that it was Ren standing beside her instead.

"Hold onto me," he ordered in a hoarse voice as his right arm wrapped around her back, and he brought her roughly up against him. Maki's eyes widened as her hands were suddenly pressed against his chest and she could feel the blood that was seeping out through his black shirt.

"Vampire! I will not let you escape!" the stranger yelled as he ran at the two. Maki sucked in a breath as she buried her face in Ren's chest, ignoring all the blood that was now staining her favorite purple top.

A sudden feeling of weightlessness overtook her a moment later, and Maki almost logically concluded that the stranger had killed her, and that this was what being dead felt like. Her train of thought was shattered a second later when she opened her eyes and noted that she was still in Ren's embrace. She couldn't possibly be with Ren if she were truly dead. Relieved that she wasn't dead, Maki glanced around their surroundings. They were floating in what seemed to be an endless black abyss.

They were only there for a moment, for in the next a pocket of light bombarded her line of vision as they reappeared in their own world once again. Only this time, they were standing in front of Karin's house.

"H – How did you do that?" Maki asked as she stared up at Ren only to let out a faint gasp when she noted that there were two large fangs hanging over his bottom lip, and his eyes were set in a dark glare.

"You'll have to stay here for now," he told her firmly, "Sinclair will most likely be on the hunt for you and me tonight. It'll at least be somewhat safer for you here, with our family barrier hiding the mansion,"

"Sinclair? As in Winner Sinclair?" Maki asked in surprise; slightly upset that her Winner or anyone from his family would be able to kill so menacingly.

"Not _that_ idiot," Ren scoffed, "the man that attacked us tonight was his grandfather. A _real _vampire hunter,"

"A real vampire hunter?" Maki asked, "wait...so does that mean you're a _real_ vampire?" she exclaimed as Ren let out a light groan.

"Mother and Father are going to _kill_ me," he muttered under his breath, "but yes, I am," he added a little louder as he stared back at her. Maki blinked up at him in disbelief before she felt another surge of blood stream out of Ren's wound onto her shirt.

"You're still hurt!" she exclaimed as she backed out of his embrace, "we need to have someone look at that!" she cried out hurriedly as she frantically searched around the area as if a doctor would magically pop out of the sky.

"I'll be fine. I was just caught off guard," he assured her with a slight sigh, "I just need to rest. I'll be fine by tomorrow night," he added when he noted that she was still glancing around helplessly. Maki let out a relieved breath at his answer as she glanced back at him while working to calm her still raging nerves.

"I suppose I should call my parents and tell them I'll be staying at Karin's tonight," Maki replied with a sigh as she fingered the cell phone in her jean pocket. Why did stuff like this have to happen? She had only asked Ren out! She hadn't expected all of this to happen along with it!

All Maki knew then was that the Sinclair guy was legitimately dangerous. She just hoped that he wouldn't be able to find them during the remainder of the night, or they'd both be goners.


	3. Getting caught half naked with a vampire

_A/N: Sorry about the long wait everyone! I've just been so busy lately that it's been hard to find time to write anymore! Hope this chapter was worth the wait though! Give me some feedback! :) _

* * *

"What is the meaning of this, Ren?" Carrera exclaimed as she took in the sight of her son walking into their home with a young girl with a blood stained purple top in tow. A top stained in _his_ blood.

"Maaka-sama!" the young woman cried out in surprise before she bowed to her. The instant she did that, and Carrera watched as her green haired side ponytail fell past her shoulder, she realized that she was Karin's friend. She remembered meeting her once before when Karin needed her help with summer homework a year ago.

"You..." Carrera murmured softly as she raked her brain for the girl's name, but couldn't retrieve it. She thinned her red tinted lips in displeasure as she refrained from asking the girl outright. It would come off as terribly rude if she couldn't even remember the name of the human that was best friends with her oldest daughter.

"Maki needs to stay here tonight," Ren informed her as Carrera's golden gaze shot up to glance into her son's identical eyes. Hers narrowed slightly as she tried to read her son's motives in bringing this girl to their home.

He had never brought a woman home with him before, and he knew that such an act was forbidden. Not only was it indecent to allow his younger sisters to be exposed to such blatant bad behavior, but it brought up the possibility of the woman finding out about their secret.

"Sinclair has returned," Ren continued, his face remaining surprisingly serious, "and not that-sad-excuse-for-a-vampire-hunter Sinclair, the real one. The one you used to tell Karin and Anju about when they were little,"

"How do you know?" Calera asked back, not wanting to believe the worst if her son was merely going off of a hunch.

"I was impaled by his sword tonight, in front of Maki," Ren replied as he inclined his head towards the young woman beside him, "and yes, she knows I'm a vampire. So does Sinclair, and he'll kill her if she goes home. The jig's up,"

"I see," Carrera murmured softly before giving Maki a friendly smile, "well then, Maki-san, it seems you'll be spending the night with us tonight. I'll show you where Karin's room is. I'm sure she won't mind if you sleep there tonight," Carrera informed her as Maki sent her a thankful smile in return.

"Give her my room," Ren offered suddenly, and the two women turned to look at him in surprise.

"What for?" Carrera asked back.

"Karin's room smells too much like her human. It'll clog up my nose, and make it difficult to scent out Maki. If Sinclair just so happens to see past our barrier, I need to make sure I can find her. You know it'll upset Karin if her best friend ends up getting murdered in our own house," he explained as Carrera's eyebrows rose slightly in disbelief.

She knew that Karin had her human in her room a lot, but their vampire noses were strong enough to differentiate human scents, no matter how strong or weak they might be. Carrera eyed him apprehensively as she wondered what Ren's motives were in having Maki stay in his room for the night.

"I'll give her your room...so long as you sleep in your coffin," Carrera offered, and noted the slight roll of her son's eyes with a bemused smirk.

"I said _give_ her my room. I wasn't asking you for permission to sleep with her," Ren scoffed, and Carrera couldn't hide her amused smirk when she noted Maki's cheeks immediately heat up in a blush.

"Fine. I'll show you to _Ren's_ room then," Carrera clarified, and couldn't help the playfully impatient glare she sent her son's way. It was just like him to go and make his mother do whatever it was that _he_ wanted her to do. She'd have to watch herself, or she might end up getting walked on by _all_ of her children.

"Come along," Carrera commanded as Maki gave her a swift nod before hurrying to her side. The vampire gave the girl a once over before noting that there was a sense of anxiety about her, and a smidgen of stress that was beginning to mix into the girl's scent. She glanced back at her son to see if he had noticed it too, given that his preferred blood type was stress, but didn't notice him giving the girl any kind of particular attention.

_Maybe he's hurting too much to notice,_ Carrera thought as she took in the severity of her son's wound for the first time. She merely ignored the thought though, because she knew that he'd be alright after a night's rest in his coffin. Unlike humans, a wound like Ren's was the equivalent to a scraped knee. It was something that hurt in that instant, but it would heal without needing much medical or emotional attention.

The two women remained silent as they climbed the staircase to the second story of the house. Carrera noted that the girl continuously kept looking behind her, and figured she was most likely checking to see if Ren was following them, which he wasn't. Carrera knew that he was most likely heading down to the basement for some much needed blood.

"Will Ren be alright?" Maki asked once they reached the top of the stairs. Carrera gave her a sideways glance as they continued walking, and merely shrugged her shoulders in response.

"Who knows with him. For all I know he could be lying there dead as we speak," she offered, and felt like giggling when she saw the anxious look that crossed the girl's features, "I wouldn't worry about him. I'm sure it's more of an injury to his ego above anything else. It'll take him awhile to get over the fact that he wasn't prepared for the attack more than the physical act itself," she added, and noted the slight look of relief that passed over the girl's face.

"It's just that – I know how much Karin loves all of you, and I know how much it would hurt her to know that something this terrible happened to her brother," Maki explained as she lowered her green gaze to stare at the ground uneasily as they walked, "Karin is my best friend, and I'll do all I can to make sure she's happy," Maki finished.

"You're a good friend to her," Carrera observed, and wondered how her clumsy excuse for a vampire daughter got so lucky, "and I'm glad that you're looking out for her welfare. It means a lot to my family," she added before pausing in front of a darkly painted door.

"Is this Ren's room?" Maki asked, following Carrera's gaze to the black door in front of them.

"Yes, and don't worry yourself about Ren making any kind of visits tonight," Carrera assured her, "once I tell my husband that you're here, he'll keep the boy in line," she added, and enjoyed the faint look of surprise that passed over Maki's features.

"I'm sure he's not going to come up and see me," she replied bashfully before a confident smirk pulled at the edges of her lips and she clasped her left hand on her flexed right arm, "besides, even if he does, I'll set him straight!" she told Carrera confidently.

The vampire stared at this petite slip of a girl before she threw her head back and laughed. The thought that such a young and tiny girl could do _anything_ to ward off a full grown male vampire was hysterical! While the act was utterly impossible, Carrera couldn't help but admire the girl's spunk.

"You're quite the humorous one," Carrera noted with a look of pride, "get some sleep, amazon warrior," she added teasingly while opening the door for Maki. Maki gave her a good humored grin before walking past her to head inside and inspect the room.

Carrera watched her for a moment, and wondered what life would have been like if she could have seen more of the girl. _She seems like such a character_, Carrera thought with a smile, _it's too bad we'll have to erase her memories in the morning_.

* * *

"Carrera," Henry called when he spotted his wife making her way down the stairs. She turned those golden eyes that he loved so much in his direction, and he relished in her beauty for a moment before he spoke,

"Is it true that Ren brought a human here?" he asked, and felt his spirits fall when she nodded her head.

"He said that Sinclair has returned," she told him, and he gave her a grave nod. Ren had given him a short run through of the night's events before he had gone to grab something to clog up the blood that had still been flowing out from his chest wound.

"What should we do about her, Henry?" Carrera asked as she made it the rest of the way to his side. He pondered over the thought for a moment. Usui had been useful for their daughter, and seemed very trustworthy. Could Karin's friend turn out to be the same?

"I would say we could make another exception with her, as we did for Usui, but..." Carrera began, the uncertainty evident in her voice.

"But?" Henry coaxed.

"We don't know if she will remain trustworthy to us. I believe we were lucky with Usui, but will we be as lucky a second time? Fear can cause many humans to give up their secrets," Carrera stated as she sent her husband a worried glance.

"It would lift some stress off of Karin if her best friend knew our secret. She wouldn't need to pretend to be human anymore," Ren stated as he reentered the room while finishing tying a knot he had made with a towel around his gaping wound, which Henry could tell was already beginning to close.

Their son glanced at both vampires for a moment before grabbing the half drunken bottle of Proud Blood, and proceeded to chug it without leaving time to savor the flavor.

"Hey! That's expensive!" Henry exclaimed. Ren paused in his drinking for a moment to send his father an agitated glare.

"Well if it was safe to go out, I would've gone and found a woman, but seeing as there's a vampire hunter flipping the town upside down looking for me, I _assumed_ it was acceptable to drink this...disgusting blood," he replied as silent tears trailed down Henry's cheeks at the mention of his preference in blood being disgusting.

"Oh Henry!" Carrera cried out exasperatedly, "pull yourself together, it's just one bottle! We'll get another one," she scolded him.

"But Carrera..." Henry sniffled, "I was saving that last bit to get through tonight,"

"Well you're not the one with the gaping hole in his chest, now are you?" Ren ground out angrily as Henry ran over to grab a hold of Carrera's arm.

"Carrera, make him stop. Your son is abusing me," Henry cried as Carrera let out a light growl.

"_You_ make him stop. He's your son too," she pointed out impatiently.

"But Carrera..." Henry began again as Carrera pulled her arm free from his grasp.

"Now isn't the time, Henry. We still need to discuss what's going to happen with Maki," she reminded her husband as his face grew serious at the mention of the human girl.

"Yes, you're right," he replied gruffly, "it seems only right that we erase her memories of tonight and tomorrow night. We'll just have to keep her oblivious to our decision,"

"But you know Karin will fight us when she finds out that Maki knows our secret," Ren stated before chugging another mouthful of Proud Blood, "she'll talk about all the ways that it'll help her get through the day,"

Henry felt his confidence weaken at the mention of Karin. He hadn't thought about how his daughter would feel about their decision. It was evident that she would desire to have Maki know their secret, and have another person to rely on in the daytime. But surely they could convince her that, for the safety of her family, she should allow them to erase her friend's memory?

"Sinclair will be after her too," Ren added as his eyes narrowed dangerously, "he tried killing her tonight when she yelled at him after he stabbed me. I'm more than positive that he'll kill her on the spot if he gets the chance again,"

"She's a feisty one," Carrera noted with a slight chuckle, "she's very courageous, standing up to a hunter like she did, or very stupid,"

"I'm leaning towards stupid," Ren replied solemnly before he took another swig of the bottle.

"Still," Henry began, "it shows a good bit of her character. She stayed by your side even after you got stabbed, and went as far as to defend you when she found out you were a vampire. It takes a very brave person to do that," he noted as he ran his fingers through his thick mustache in thought.

"Well, she's asleep right now. I say we do the same," Carrera suggested, "we can talk more about it tomorrow night. I'm sure Karin will have a lot to say about it, too,"

"Right," Henry agreed with a nod. Ren remained silent as he finished off the bottle of blood.

The three vampires uttered soft goodbyes to one another as Ren placed the empty bottle on the coffee stand before leaving the room, his hands loosely tucked into his jean pockets.

Henry watched his son leave the room for a moment, and noted him pause at the doorway to the basement before he looked towards the staircase, as if considering something.

"Don't even _think_ about going up to your old room tonight," Henry warned with fire in his eyes, which was met with an agitated sigh.

"Do you always assume that I have something dirty on my mind?" Ren asked, seeming to already tell what had his father peeved.

"Of course I do. I remember what it was like at your age," Henry replied hotly, "just know that I'll be keeping an eye on you, so don't try anything,"

Ren merely rolled his eyes at his father before he opened the door to the basement and made his way down the stairs.

"Henry," Carrera called right as Henry was about to follow his son, and make sure that he went _straight_ to his coffin.

"We should go get some more blood bottles while Ren sleeps," she coaxed, "I'm running low on Liars Blood as well, and I need that to make it through the night,"

"How will we make sure that he doesn't go straight up to the human while we're gone? I'm sure you have an idea of how primal Ren can be around women," Henry asked suspiciously in return as Carrera gave him a smug smile.

"Elda is down there, and will keep him to herself when she senses that he's returned," she answered, and Henry couldn't help but mirror his wife's smug smirk, "you know how much she loves him," she added with a toothy grin.

"Of course," Henry answered as he rested his palm on the small of Carrera's back, "then let's go, my dear, while the night is still young,"

* * *

Maki sat on Ren's bed while she idly stared at the glowing screen of her cellphone. She had just called her parents and told them that she was staying at Karin's for the night. They hadn't minded. Maki had a sneaking suspicion that they were probably happy that Karin was finally hosting a sleepover rather than staying at her house all of the time.

Maki let out a sigh as she placed her cell on the nightstand next to the bed before lying back down. As she laid on the mattress her fingertips played with the material underneath her, and she couldn't help but wonder how often Ren slept there. Or with who.

The thought brought a blush to Maki's cheeks as she shook her head madly to get the thought out of her head. Why all of the sudden did she care who Ren was with? He was her best friend's older brother, and nothing else. It wasn't like they were going to hang out and spend time together after this was all over. This was just for a night...wasn't it? _Of course it is_, Maki answered herself confidently.

Besides, she still needed to coax Winner into going on a date with her. She would never be able to achieve her goal if she kept thinking about Ren.

She just had to stop thinking about his golden eyes, or how good it had felt to be pressed up against his chest. An image that brought another blush to her cheeks even though his blood had been pouring all over her favorite shirt. The thought reminded her that she was still wearing that shirt, and she instantly sat up before glancing down at the large circular blood stain over her chest.

"This will never come out," Maki grumbled softly before reaching for the ends of the shirt and pulling it over her head. She let out a relieved sigh at the feel of the cool air in the room brush against her flesh for the first time. She felt so free and alive in that moment.

She then carelessly tossed her shirt on the ground as she tugged back the black covers and wiggled her body inside. She let the sheet's warmth soothe her racing nerves as she rested her head on Ren's matching black pillows.

_What a cliché_, Maki thought with lowered lids as she gazed at all the black in the room. _Just like what you'd see out of a B-rated horror movie_, she added in her mind as she held in a yawn. She closed her forest green eyes then just as the strain on her mind and body finally caught up with her. She was out like a light the moment her world went black.

* * *

Karin let out an airy sigh as she stretched her arms over her head before glancing at her sleeping boyfriend, Kenta Usui. Her dark eyes softened as she gazed at him for a moment, revealing in the fact that she was with him, actually with Kenta Usui! The man that she had initially run away from had now become the man she had also fallen in love with.

"Kenta," she murmured his first name lovingly before she blushed prettily at the slight tingle his name left on her lips. She saw him stir slightly, and he leaned in closer to the sound of her voice before a slight smile tugged on his lips.

Karin felt embarrassed just sitting in Kenta's futon, ogling him, but she could think of anything better to do so early in the morning. She took in the sight of his messy orange hair, his tan skin, wide mouth, straight nose, and finally, the outline of his eyes. Those eyes that so many others were frightened of. Everyone but her.

Kenta's eyes were such a unique feature that made him distinguishable in a crowd. A trait that Karin couldn't help but love. What may have seemed fearful to some, was perfection to her. She knew that if she ever bore Kenta a son, she'd pray that he'd look just like his father.

The thought brought a happy blush to Karin's cheeks at the idea of starting a family with Kenta, and how wonderful living with him would be. He would be able to achieve his dream of having a good family, and she could fulfill her dream as well. She could finally belong to the day.

No longer would she suffer the loneliness that she felt once Anju matured into a full vampire. No longer would she fear that she'd be trapped alone for the rest of her life under the sun. She now could own to the fact that there was someone for her, someone who could love her weird and clumsy ways. Someone was finally there to spend time with her when her family couldn't. Someone who loved her just as fiercely as her family did. Someone who –

"Karin?" Kenta asked groggily as he rubbed sleep out of one of his eyes, "why are you up so early?" he asked curiously as Karin smiled down at him, and shrugged in response.

"I couldn't help it," she replied as Kenta sent her a soft smile.

"Anything I can do to help?" he asked as he reached for her. She blushed slightly and bit her lip timidly when she laid out next to him in his futon. He gave her a reassuring smile as he wound his arm around her small waist and tugged her close to his body.

"I love you," Karin murmured softly before her face grew even hotter, and she was positive she looked like a swelled up tomato. Kenta's lazy smile turned into a wide grin at that as he bent his head to kiss her lips softly.

"I love you too," he murmured back after he pulled away. Karin smiled up at him as she reached out a hand to rest it against his cheek. She gently rubbed his skin with her thumb as they stared into each other's eyes in silence, each enjoying the closeness and comfort of the other.

They would've stayed that way for who knows how long, but their moment was cut short when Kenta's mom swiftly slid the front door open with a grin.

"Get up you two!" she chirped happily as the couple quickly jumped away from each other to allow appropriate space between them, "Kenta, I need you to go grocery shopping with me today. You're free to come along too if you want, Karin," Kenta's mom suggested, her wide grin still in place as she stared back at the two blushing teens.

"Oh, thank you, but my family is expecting me," Karin replied with a nervous giggle, "I really should be heading out," she added as she glanced outside for a moment, wondering if it was chilly out or not.

"Well, if you're sure..." Kenta's mother answered, and Karin felt guilty when she sensed that Kenta's mom had wanted her to go with.

"Next time we'll go, all three of us!" Karin promised as she grabbed hold of the woman's hands in determination, "I promise!" she added confidently as Kenta's mom gave her a thankful smile.

"I'd like that," she replied sweetly, and Karin held in the need to embrace her. Ever since Kenta had promised to allow her to bite him whenever she needed it, she hadn't reacted to his mother misfortunes. Karin could still sense his mother's moods though, and couldn't deny the fact that she was still battling her miseries over Kenta's missing father.

"Well, you better get going if your family is expecting you," Kenta's mother stated as she seemed to mentally shake herself out of her willowing thoughts.

"Yeah," Karin replied solemnly as she turned to look back at Kenta, who had already gotten out of bed and put on a fresh shirt.

"I can walk you if you want," Kenta offered before turning to his mom, "you wouldn't mind, would you, Mom? It'll only take a second," he promised as she gave him a swift nod with a smile.

"Just remember that we have to go shopping! I don't want you crashing at Karin's place," she told him rather sternly as he gave her a swift nod before ushering Karin out the door.

Once they were outside Karin felt the sudden tug of Kenta's aura and she felt her heart pulse strongly before she glanced up at him worriedly. She saw him looking back at his apartment for a moment, almost sadly, before he turned to look back at her.

"What is it, Karin?" he asked curiously, and Karin almost shrugged off her reaction like she had so many times in the past, but they were together now. Being together meant that she couldn't hide things from Kenta, not that she'd really want to. She enjoyed the openness that they had with each other, and she loved that she could trust him.

"I felt my blood increase just now," she informed him honestly, and gave his arm a reassuring pat when she noted the look of worry that crossed his features, "are you upset about something?" she asked. Karin noted Kenta hesitate for a moment, like he was worried about what to tell her, before his shoulders relaxed and he seemed to give in to her.

"I'm just worried about my mom," he admitted as he gave his apartment another far away look, "I worry that she'll never pull out of her depression, and move on from my dad. She deserves someone who will treasure her, and treat her right," he added.

Karin stared back at him admirably, and couldn't deny that the love she felt radiating off Kenta for his mother was wonderful. That such a man like Kenta could even exist...it blew Karin's mind sometimes.

"I'm sure she'll find someone," Karin assured him as she wrapped her arm around his affectionately, "he'll come when she least expects it!" Karin added with a light giggle. Just the thought of a possible romance brought out a girlie giggle that Karin simply couldn't suppress. She had to admit that she tended to be a hopeless romantic.

The two walked together in accepted silence, and once they neared the entranceway to her home Kenta tugged her close. Karin felt her heart rate increase when he wrapped two strong arms around her body and pressed a soft kiss against her forehead.

She pulled away slightly to look up at him as they shared admiring looks before both moved in to seal their love with a kiss. When they pulled away, Karin caught Kenta's face in her hands as she stared into his eyes determinedly.

"I love you, Kenta Usui," she told him firmly. Kenta's face warmed in a blush before he gave her a smile and took her face in his hands as well.

"And I love you, Karin Maaka," he answered, and the two stared at each other for a moment before they started laughing at how silly they probably looked.

"I hope you have fun shopping with your mom," Karin told him as they let go of each other's faces and put some space between them.

"It won't be as much fun as it is when you and I go grocery shopping," Kenta stated with a half smile, "she doesn't buy thirty heads of garlic like you do," he teased as Karin let out a light giggle at the memory.

"They were cheap!" she defended as Kenta let out a laugh and nodded.

"I know," he replied with a grin, "I better go, or we'll be saying goodbye all day," he added as they shared a quick kiss before Kenta waved goodbye to her while he began walking back home. Karin waved back and watched him go until he was out of sight. When she couldn't see the blue scarf that she had knitted for him last Christmas billowing in the wind, she turned to go inside.

The moment she stepped into her house, Karin was happy to find that everything was in order. Her family hadn't been too active the night before, which was a good sign. Karin let a soft yawn escape her as she took to the steps of the staircase two at a time. While she had slept quite well with Kenta last night, she hadn't gotten many hours of _actual_ sleep.

"I'll take a quick nap, and then do some homework," Karin sighed happily as she reached the top of the stairs. As she walked down the large hallway she passed Ren's door, and remembered that she had lent her brother one of her history books from class. She'd need it if she wanted to do her homework later on.

So, she paused in front of Ren's room as she mulled over going inside. Typically Ren slept in his coffin, but there were the few times when he'd sleep in his bed whenever he got tired of his coffin. Karin wondered if she'd get lucky and he'd be asleep in the basement.

"I'll just tell him that I needed my book to finish my homework," Karin murmured reassuringly to herself as she turned the knob and opened the door, only to gasp loudly in surprise.

Ren _was_ in his room, but he wasn't alone.

There, amongst the layers of his bedsheets, laid her best friend Maki. Her friend didn't stir as Karin's eyes turned from her to Ren, who was standing a few feet away from his bed with what looked like Maki's shirt balled in his hand.

"What did you do to Maki?" Karin screamed in outrage as she tried to piece together what she saw, and what it could possibly mean. Had Ren...seduced Maki? In all her life she had never imagined that her older brother would ever be interested in her best friend.

Not only was Ren a womanizer, but Maki was nothing like the women Ren was into! Karin and Anju had already fought over this when Maki had been her first bite. Couldn't Ren understand that Maki meant a lot to her?

"It's not what it looks like," Ren assured her gently as he slowly brought up his hands, "just relax – there's nothing to – "

"I – Is that blood?" Karin shrieked when she noted the blood stain on Maki's favorite purple blouse, "did you bite her?" she asked as her face got hot when a rather disturbing image of her brother lovingly biting into her best friend's neck appeared in her mind.

"No, I didn't bite her," Ren scolded in a whisper, "don't you think I have any self control?"

"No!" Karin replied angrily, "Maki's my best friend! How could you?"

"Karin...?" Maki called out to her softly as she rubbed her eyes with the palms of her hands before she sat up to look at her friend with hazy green eyes.

Karin stared back at her friend, horrified, when she saw that from the waist up all Maki was wearing was a bra. And a rather sexy bra at that. Karin hadn't even known that her friend was into wearing lace.

"What time is it? Did I oversleep?" Maki asked groggily as she turned her sleepy gaze from Karin to Ren. Karin noted his body stiffen when their eyes locked. Karin observed the rather awkward exchange between them as her previous anger began to subside. She wondered instead if Ren had tried to sneak in, and Maki hadn't the faintest idea he was there.

Her suspicions were soon answered when Maki angrily screamed "pervert!" and threw one of his pillows at his head.

* * *

_A/N: I know this is kind of an odd place to end, but it's really late, and this is how far my brain is willing to work for me tonight. Hope everyone liked it! _


	4. Meeting the family with a vampire

"What do you mean Maki knows our secret?" Karin's shriek shook the vampire mansion as her brother and best friend sat across from her in the darkened family meeting area. She stared at the two with large brown eyes that demanded answers.

"Karin, you don't need to yell," Maki groaned as she held her head with a grimace, "I'm still exhausted from yesterday," she added, glancing over at Ren for a moment before returning her gaze to her best friend's.

"Sorry, Maki," Karin apologized softly with a look of remorse, "I guess I was just taken by surprise. Forgive me?"

"Of course, Karin," Maki replied with a smile. Karin gave her friend a grin before she looked over at her older brother.

"Before you start pointing your finger at me," Ren began while keeping his eyes on the book in his hand, "I didn't have a choice, it was do or die," he replied. Karin glared at him before she blew her cheeks up in anger.

"You're still the one who put Maki in danger when you should have just walked her straight home!" Karin fought back.

"It isn't his fault Karin," Maki interrupted with a sigh, "I was the one who invited him to Julian's after he escorted me home, so you should be mad at me,"

"But Maki..." Karin murmured before glancing at the floor, "he was still responsible for your safety. What if he hadn't been able to keep that vampire hunter from striking you?"

"But he _was_ able to save me, and I trusted him with my life, wholeheartedly," Maki replied with a faint blush. Karin blinked at her friend in surprise before she noticed Ren's eyes on her. He had let his eyes slide to Maki for only a moment before he caught Karin's stare and returned them to his book.

"And you're sure Ren didn't bite you?" Karin asked Maki worriedly. Though she was proud that her brother could be so protective of her friend, she didn't completely trust in her brother's ability to keep his hands to himself.

"I'm positive," Maki replied, "besides, it's not like I was _completely_ helpless. That'd be more your forte, Karin," she added with a confident grin. A very uncharacteristic snort sounded from Ren's general direction as the girls sent him curious looks. He quickly composed himself before staring intently at the book in his hands like the words in it held the most dire of secrets.

"Well, now that you know our secret, I won't need to be worried about hiding it from you anymore!" Karin stated excitedly.

"That's true," Maki smiled back, "though I think I always knew something was up with you when you'd have your random nosebleeds. Which is probably why it isn't so hard to believe that you're a vampire, since you've always been kind of strange," she added with one finger on her chin in thought.

"Strange?" Karin parroted back while her lower lip trembled, "you really think I'm strange, Maki?" she asked as Make let out a laugh before she stood up and patted her friend on the back.

"Don't worry about it, Karin. You're still my best friend, no matter what you are," she added a bit more seriously. Karin felt silent tears streak down her cheeks as she grabbed her friend in a fierce hug.

"You're so nice, Maki! I'm so happy you're my best friend," she cried on her shoulder while Maki gently patted her back with a knowing smirk.

"But tell me, Karin. If you really are a vampire, how can you go out into the sun and do all the other things that vampires can't do?" Maki asked once the two girls pulled away.

"Because she's the freak of the family," Ren informed her from his spot on the couch while he delicately flipped to the next page of his book. _He acts like he's actually reading it!_ Karin thought angrily before she saw the fire in Maki's green eyes.

"Hey! Just because you're Karin's older brother doesn't mean you get the right to talk to her like that!" she yelled at him as Ren sent her an annoyed glance before he shut his book with one hand. He then stood from the couch and sent Maki a small smirk.

"What's so funny?" she asked, her voice challenging him, almost daring him to tell her. He closed the distance between himself and the girls as he stopped a mere foot from Maki.

"You," he replied, "that someone as small as you has the guts to yell at me. You don't think you stand a chance against my powers, do you?"

"Oh yeah? Why don't you show me these powers then? Or are you too chicken?" Maki teased with a knowing glint in her eye. Karin's mouth fell open at her friend's bravery, but she didn't like the interest that she saw spark in her brother's eyes. There was no way Maki would win a fight against her big brother!

"Maki, I'm sure we can let my big brother slide this once," Karin interjected with a nervous giggle. Her giggles were then cut short when she sensed her brother's presence behind her just as his fists made contact with her head. He then began to twist them as she let out cries of protest.

"If the girl's got something to say, then let her say it," Ren seethed as he glared daggers at the back of Karin's head.

"Ow! Ow! Ow!" she shrieked. They continued in their antics until the sound of Maki's laughter filled the room. When they looked over at her she had one hand covering her mouth while the other held onto her side.

"I – I'm sorry, you two are just – just so _funny_!" she continued to laugh as her other hand grabbed her side when her giggles started to hurt. Ren and Karin gave each other clueless looks before Ren straighted and gave Maki one last glance before he left the room.

Karin smiled back at her friend before she realized that Maki didn't have any siblings. Her eyes softened slightly, and she wondered if her laughter was because she and Ren acted like typical siblings would. _Either way, I'm glad that Maki's happy,_ Karin thought with a light giggle of her own.

(Divider)

Ren walked down the hallway with Karin's history book in hand. A genre that he had picked up on a whim thanks to Karin's love for her human. He didn't know how to explain _his_ recent fascination with human history though. It wasn't like it had interested him before now. Not when he considered humans as food rather than people.

"It's stupid really," he whispered as he glanced at the book for a moment. He considered leaving it somewhere for Karin to eventually find, but paused when he thought about how he hadn't found out if the Civil War had ended slavery or not in the United States. A label he found somewhat amusing given that the continent was anything but united during the war.

So, instead of dumping the book on the lamp table set in the hallway, he held onto it on the way to his room. He'd sleep there and continue his rest before he went to feed that night. He felt a smile tug at the edges of his lips at the thought of a meal, and quickly pulled out his cell at the thought of a certain girl.

"Angie" was listed as the most recent missed call, and he was happy that his newest fling had enjoyed herself enough to call on him again. She had actually called him five times. He noticed a few other girls IDs listed below hers, but he didn't pay them any mind. They no longer stressed about things as much as they used to. _Their blood won't nearly be as sweet as Angie's will be, tonight,_ he thought to himself with a smirk.

He quickly redialed Angie's number, but was slightly disappointed when his call went straight to voice mail. "Hello...this is Angie...please leave your name and number and I'll get back to you as soon as I can..." her anxious message repeated in his ear as he smiled, enjoying the fact that she'd be as stressed as she always was when he'd get to see her.

"Hey Angie, it's Ren. I'm glad to hear from you, I hope that we can get together sometime soon and...fool around some more. Give me a call if you'll be free tonight, I'd love to see your beautiful face again," he finished the message with a simple click before he put his cell back in his pocket. He loved how he was able to mix his love of a good meal with a roll in the sack. He loved it so much that he often wondered how his parents were able to simply drink blood out of a bottle. If getting married meant giving up live blood for the bottled kind, he'd rather remain single for the rest of his unnatural life.

He was brought out of his thoughts when the faint scent of tiger lilies hit his sensitive nose. He followed it out of curiosity only to be led to his bedroom door. _Why is this scent so strong? _He thought as he opened the door and walked in. The scent was all over his room. _But, the only person who could leave such a strong scent behind would be... _his thoughts drifted off when he remembered that he had given the room to Maki. He hadn't been able to scent Maki the night before because all that he was able to smell was his own blood pouring out of his chest.

He did faintly remember a similar scent on her when he had been at the restaurant though. It had been a simply observation, just like how he noticed her eyes were green. He hadn't thought much of it then since he hadn't been considering her as a potential meal. But now that her scent was all over his room and filling his senses, he couldn't ignore it. It wasn't an unpleasant smell, just surprising, given that Ren always slept alone in his bed.

He casually spread his body across the black mattress as his hands rested behind his head. He stared idly up at the ceiling for some time before his cell vibrated in his pocket. A knowing smirk spread across his face as he reached for it before flipping up the top to answer the call.

"Why hello there beautiful," he greeted as he heard a nervous giggle answer him on the other end.

"Hey Ren...um, I'm free tonight...if you still want to come over," Angie murmured before letting out another nervous giggle. He could practically smell her stress from his bedroom.

"Of course, how does eight sound?" Ren replied, and felt the words flow from his lips like they were air themselves. She let out another giggle before she whispered an airy "good" and hung up. He also didn't miss the excited squeal he heard on her end before she shut off the phone. His smile grew as he relished in the fact that the women he fed from responded to him like clockwork. _It's all so easy_, he thought as he checked the time on his phone.

"Hmm, four o'clock, so I'll have about four hours to sleep," he murmured before he shut off the cell and placed it on the nightstand next to his bed. He had received the phone call he had been waiting for, and could care less who else might want to speak with him. The last thought he remembered was the sweet taste of Angie's blood on his lips when he drifted off into peaceful slumber.

(Divider)

"Hey Karin, where do you think Ren went?" Maki asked as she watched her friend cut up a few slices of pork for Kenta's lunch.

"Probably back to his coffin. He isn't normally awake at this hour," Karin replied with her usual smile in place, brightening her already beautiful features. Maki eyed her friend for a moment as a jealous pang hit her chest. Though she loved Karin with all her heart, it was still a little upsetting when she knew deep down that she was the less attractive of the two.

"Maki..." Karin suddenly murmured as Maki glanced at her in surprise.

"What?" she asked.

"Is something...bothering you?" she asked and Maki couldn't hide her surprise. _How did Karin know that I was upset?_ She thought. It wasn't like Karin was the most insightful person, much less one who paid much attention to her surroundings.

"Oh, nothing," Maki replied with a smile.

"Are you sure?" Karin asked back as a worry line appeared between her eyebrows.

"Yup, every thing's fine," Maki replied while she stretched, hoping the action would distract Karin from pestering further. It wasn't that Maki didn't want Karin to worry about her, but that she knew Karin would overreact and make the situation bigger than it was.

"Hello," a soft voice suddenly murmured nearby as Maki nearly jumped out of her skin. She spun her head around to spot Karin's younger sister, Anju, standing in the doorway. Her long silver hair was parted down the middle with a few strands pulled back into a black bow behind her head. Her cold eyes glanced up at Maki expectedly as she returned the girl's look with a forced smile.

"Anju! You're up to?" Karin asked in surprise as she placed her hands on her hips, "you know that you need your rest now that you've matured into a full vampire!" she scolded as Anju's golden eyes crawled over to her sister.

"I'm sorry, big sister. Something smelled...too good to resist," she added while returning her gaze to Maki. _Wait, does that mean Anju wants to...drink my blood? _Maki thought with a plastered look of horror before her hands flew up to cover her neck. Anju fed off her fear with the slightest of smiles as Maki's expression grew even more fearful.

"Anju, leave Maki alone!" Karin warned. Anju glanced back at her sister before she suddenly began to fall forward.

"Oh no!" Maki cried out as she hurried to grab for the girl's falling form. She let out a soft grunt when her body fell against Maki's before she rested her hands on Maki's arms.

"I'm sorry. I lost my balance," Anju whispered as Maki gave her another forced smile.

"N – No problem," she nervously laughed. The stared at one another for a few seconds until Maki noticed that Anju's face looked like it had gotten closer to hers. Karin quickly grabbed her sister by the collar of her dress before pulling her off of Maki.

"Anju, you're nearly as bad as Ren," she sighed while gently setting Anju back on the ground.

"That is an unfair comparison," Anju retorted softly, "I don't do all of the things that he does with his meals," she added as Karin's face heated up in a blush.

"What's she talking about Karin?" Maki asked curiously as Karin let out a nervous laugh.

"Oh, our brother is fairly...friendly with the people he sucks blood from," Karin answered.

"I can tell you what he does," Anju murmured as she beckoned Maki closer. Maki bent her head as Anju covered her ear with one pale hand before whispering the unspeakable to her. Maki's expression brightened with a blush at first before it darkened and she stomped one foot impatiently on the ground.

"That pervert!" she screamed as fire blazed in her eyes, "the next time I see his face I'll – I'll – "

"You'll what?" Anju asked curiously as Maki felt her previous thoughts fail her before her hand dropped and she hung her head with a sigh.

"I'll think of something," she retorted lamely.

"Ren can be a pain sometimes, but he's still my big brother," Karin interjected with a smile, "so it can't be helped if that's how he is," she added before throwing the sliced pork onto a frying pan. Maki turned back to Karin with a look of surprise. Though Ren seemed like the kind of guy who didn't need sympathy from anyone, Karin seemed to have it for him anyway. _The love of a sister I guess,_ Maki thought with a soft smile.

"Big brother looked well," Anju added, "his bullet wound from yesterday was gone,"

"Yeah, he did look better," Maki agreed softly, and felt thick for not mentioning it earlier when Ren had been with them. _He probably doesn't think I'm thankful to him at all,_ Maki thought with an inward sigh.

"Hey Maki, do you think I should make stuffed pork rolls or sesame pork in the shape of bunnies?" Karin asked as she started shaping the cooking pork with a spatula.

"Huh? Oh, I think you should shape them into little hearts. It'll show Kenta how much you l-o-v-e him," Maki teased as Karin's cheeks heated in a blush.

"Maki! I can't do that!"

"Why not? Haven't you two been a couple for over a year now? So something like that should be child's play!" she replied coyly as Karin cupped her face while swaying back and forth happily.

"Yeah, but it's still embarrassing to show our love like that!"

"Aw Karin, you'll never change," Maki laughed, and couldn't help the happy feeling that formed in her heart at the realization as her friend laughed with her.

(Divider)

As night fell on the vampire mansion, Maki sat quietly in the kitchen with her math textbook in her lap. Karin had hurried off to grab her history book from Ren's room, but hadn't returned for some time. _She probably crawled out the window to go see Usui, and get out of doing homework,_ she thought with a roll of her eyes. Maki glared up at the ceiling for a moment before she giggled softly to herself.

"Oh, look at _you_!" a voice suddenly cried out as Maki turned just in time to get malled by a strange woman, "aren't you just the _cutest_ little girl!" the voice squealed as Maki was suddenly pushed out of the woman's embrace.

"Karin?" Maki blinked before she noticed that though the woman resembled Karin she was slightly thinner than she was. She also had long pink hair that was parted into two pigtails that nearly reached her knees. Her red eyes brightened at the mention of Karin before she gave Maki a playful wink.

"Nice try, but you're wrong," she answered, "it's really too bad I can't bite you. You're blood smells like it'd be pretty tasty," she teased as Maki let out a nervous laugh. Just because she was happy to be in on the vampire family secret didn't mean that she was comfortable with everyone eying her like she was a walking steak.

"Mother, leave the poor girl alone," a man's voice pleaded as Maki turned to spot Karin's father walk in with Karin's mother in tow. The woman stretched one arm over her head with a yawn before she sent the woman at Maki's side a glare.

"Oh, Henry, you really do ruin all of your mother's fun," the Karin look-alike stated with a pout before she wound an arm around Maki's shoulders, "we'll have to postpone our little chat to a later date, my dear," she added with a toothy smile.

"Really, Elda. If the girl _actually_ wanted to talk to you she wouldn't look half as scared as she does," Karin's mother scolded as Elda sent her a glare.

"Come now Carrera, you'll have to do better than that if you want to get your mother-in-law on your side," she grinned.

"I never wanted you on my side!" Carrera seethed before she composed herself and cleared her throat, "it isn't worth my time to banter with you. I should have just killed you in your sleep,"

"It's too bad you didn't try. I would've liked a good laugh," Elda retorted as the two women locked eyes with one another, electricity flying dangerously between them.

"Please calm down you two, we're scaring our house guest," Henry stated while sending Maki an apologetic glance.

"Shut up Henry!" the two vampires yelled back at him as Henry quickly hung his head in defeat. Maki hung her own head as the two female vampires went after each other like two possessive lionesses. Elda with a pink umbrella and Carrera with a blue slipper. Both items that somehow magically appeared in each women's hand.

After awhile Maki returned to her studies, figuring that the women weren't doing enough damage to actually hurt one another. Now positive that there wouldn't be a vampire head rolling on the kitchen floor anytime soon, Maki stuck her nose further in her book to block out the fighting vampires.

"You have to forgive Mother and Grandmother," Anju whispered as Maki shuddered before slowly turning her head towards the young girl standing beside her, "they normally are more civil with one another,"

"You don't say..." Maki replied with a pressed smile.

"Having you here must excite them," Anju observed before she walked over to her father and stood patiently by his side as she watched the fight from there.

"Stop this nonsense!" Carrera suddenly cried out impatiently as she grabbed hold of Elda's umbrella and easily tossed it aside, with Elda in tow. The pink haired vampire let out a shriek of surprise before easily breaking her fall with one knee on the wall. After she caught herself, she jumped off the wall and landed effortlessly on her feet.

"I'm starving and I don't feel like wasting my night on you," Carrera growled as she pointed one painted finger at her opponent before Elda gave out a knowing laugh.

"Of course you can't control your hunger Carrera. Maybe if we locked you in _your_ coffin for fifty years, you'd have learned how," Elda smiled as Carrera scowled back at her before she straighted and turned her nose up at her.

"I'll deal with you after I feed. Henry! Come along!" Carrera called as Henry quickly ran to his wife's side.

"Henry! Come hunt with your mother tonight," Elda suggested as Henry sent her a worried glance before he turned from one vampire to the other.

"Couldn't we all hunt together?" he asked with a shrug before both vampires grabbed onto each of his arms.

"You aren't taking my son away from me again, you _fiend_!" Elda shrieked.

"Take your hands off my husband, you old _bat_!" Carrera fought back as the two females dragged a crying Henry out the door. Anju cast Maki a quick glance before she floated out the door after the rest of her family.

Maki blinked after them before she shook her head with a faint smile, and returned to her math book. _Karin has some kind of family_, she thought before her eyes softened slightly. Her parents didn't have any relatives, or have any children besides her. She wouldn't know what it was like having a big family, or even fighting with a relative. Her chest fell at the thought and the back of her eyes began to burn.

She suddenly shook her head to erase her sad thoughts. There was no time to sulk! She had to do well on the math test they had tomorrow morning!

(Divider)

"Henry, did you erase the girl's memory?" Carrera asked once the group of vampires stood from their post above the city. They typically met on the top of the highest skyscraper in Japan, mainly because it made scoping out victims easier (for those that still hunted: Elda, Anju, and Ren). Henry liked how secluded it was from home and the human race. Carrera merely loved the sights from above.

"Oh – I...No, not yet,"

"_Henry_," Carrera growled as Henry let out a whimper and covered his head.

"But darling, I wasn't sure how Karin would react! Surely it wouldn't hurt for the human to know our secret for one more night, right?" he asked while helplessly looking at the other vampires for help.

"Karin did seem happier with Maki around," Anju replied coolly.

"Yes, and she was quite cute!" Elda chirped with a grin.

"Hmph, I still don't trust her," Carrera commented, "you know the council will have a thing or two to say about us adding another human ally. We won't be able to keep them in the dark for long," she added solemnly.

"True," Henry murmured as his expression grew serious before he rested his chin on his palm in thought, "We'll have to confront Karin tomorrow,"

"I think we should erase her memories without asking Karin," Anju suggested as the older vampires glanced down at her in surprise.

"Anju..." Carrera murmured.

"Though I like seeing big sister so happy, I don't think we should risk the safety of our family to protect it," Anju defended in her gentle voice as the other three exchanged looks. They knew that Anju's words rang true, and that they'd have to go behind Karin's back for the better of the family. Though, no one wanted to face the girl's tears when she found out that her best friend wouldn't be able to remember a thing about her.

(Divider)

Ren combed the streets of the city with a very satisfied woman on his arm. Her black hair flew prettily behind her shoulders while her pink blouse brought out the brightness in her blue eyes. She had one long arm linked with one of Ren's as they brushed past the crowded sidewalk with little effort. They stopped when Ren made it to the hotel that he promised to meet Angie in.

"Do you really have to leave?" she asked before pressing her body up against his, "I'm sure we'd have a lot more fun if you stayed with me tonight," she purred as Ren lazily smirked back at her.

"You know I'd want nothing else, but I promised to help a friend tonight," Ren replied smoothly as his companion pouted cutely at him.

"You're meeting your friend at a hotel?" she asked skeptically.

"She works here, and couldn't get the night off," Ren defended easily as the woman's expression cleared and she wrapped her arms around Ren's neck before bringing his head down for a kiss.

"Well, if you ever feel like hanging out again, just give me a call," she winked before letting him go and sauntering off with an extra bounce in her step. He watched her go before glancing up at the hotel he stood in front of. _Now, time for the main course,_ he thought as he entered the hotel and walked past the hotel desk. He silenced the work force with a simple flick of his hand, erasing all their memories of seeing him walk through.

Though he knew there was no need for such an action, he didn't feel like being greeted or questioned. The adrenaline building for the meal to come was nearly too much for Ren to handle. He felt his chest pulse when he caught Angie's scent leading to the elevator. He entered an open one before clicking the sixth floor button, and watched as the gold doors closed in front of him. He was glad to find that no one was in the elevator, or he would have snapped if they might have tried talking to him.

When he reached his floor he easily found his way to Angie's rented room, and felt his heart give another jolt when his hand grabbed onto the door handle. He had postponed their meeting and was glad that he had. Judging by her scent she had been sitting in the room for a good two hours, waiting for him. That had given her enough time to bump of her stress levels to the point that her scent nearly caressed him like a lover would.

As his hands turned the knob he felt his fangs pierce through his gums as he swung the door open. Angie glanced up from her cell just as Ren shut the door and closed the distance between them.

"Ren!" she exclaimed in surprise as he gently cupped her chin, "you're...you're late," she murmured shyly as Ren bent his head to place a soft kiss on her lips.

"I was held up by my family. They demanded that I have dinner with them first," he replied once he pulled back. She stared up at him in awe before a blush coated her cheeks when he ran one hand through her dark curly hair.

"If you'll forgive me, I'll make sure to please you in every sense of the word," he promised as he noticed Angie's heart rate increase as she grabbed a hold of his face before passionately kissing him. He stared at her wide eyed for a moment before he melded to her lips and wrapped his arm around her body. He let his tongue explore her mouth as he gently pushed her back on the bed, his hand doing their own exploring.

What he hadn't been aware of in his state of lust was the swan that had landed on the open windowsill of the hotel room. It eyed them with eyes far too intelligent for its species before ruffling its feathers

impatiently. When Ren was still unaware of its presence it let out a loud hiss that got Angie's attention.

She pulled back from Ren for a moment to glance around his shoulder before spotting the large bird.

"W – What is _that_?" she screamed as Ren turned to spot the swan as well. He let out an aggravated sigh before he rested his hand on Angie's head.

"Sleep for now," he murmured as he waved his glowing hand over her eyes, instantly putting her to sleep as well as erase her memories of him meeting her there. _It's really too bad, her blood is perfect _he thought as he considered biting her while she slept, but controlled his baser instincts.

"Bridget Brownlick," he greeted with his back to her, "It's been awhile," he added. The swan spread its wings wide before the feathers began to glow. It was only when its entire body was encompassed in that glow that it took human form. The swan feathers were quickly replaced with fair skin and blond hair that reached the curve of the woman's back. A deep maroon dress hugged her petite figure as her dainty hands rested on her slim hips. Her dark auburn eyes slid open just as the last of her transformation was complete.

"Oh Ren! Darling!" she squealed as she quickly ran to embrace him, "it's been entirely too long since we've seen each other! Why don't you return any of my phone calls?" she asked with a pout as Ren tensed beside her. _If you weren't so into me for no apparent reason I might actually like you_ he thought to himself with a slight flinch when she grabbed his head and smothered it between her breasts.

"I know you've missed me Renny dear!" she giggled before letting go of him when her eyes fell on the sleeping human on the hotel bed, "Oh, what a plain looking human! Were you planning on sleeping with her Ren?"

Ren quickly straighted before he pulled at his jacket collar with a slight scowl.

"My personal business isn't any of yours," he replied before peeking out at her through one eye when she didn't immediately respond. Her eyes had darkened as she let out a ragged breath before speaking.

"How dare you talk to me in that tone?" she screamed, smoke emanating from her mouth as fire burned hotly in her eyes, "if we're going to get married then your business _will_ be my business!" she added ferociously before her eyes brightened and she fall back on the balls of her feet with a happy sigh.

"Which reminds me, I'm not just here to charm your socks off," she informed him with a coy grin, "I'm here to relay a message to you from the council. They found out about the little human you're hiding in your castle," she added while sticking her tongue out at him. _What? How does the council know about __Maki already?_ Ren thought in shock, and then was surprised by his own actions. Why was he reacting so protectively to Karin's little friend? It wasn't like she meant anything to him...

"Aw Ren, you look so cute when you're surprised," Bridget giggled before her eyes turned serious and she quickly appeared before him, "but I have another message to give you. Consider it a gift from the council," she added as her hand clamped onto Ren's jaw with surprising force. It took Ren only a moment to react to her grip, but it was a moment too late. She easily tossed him into the nearest wall with enough force to knock the air out of his lungs. An action that wasn't easily achieved against a vampire.

"You're probably wondering how I moved so fast," Bridget smirked as she eyed her freshly painted fingernails, "the council let me drink their blood before I was sent to find you,"

"Which means you have all of their strength on top of your own," Ren ground out while he righted himself before trying to stand. Bridget watched him with interest as he stood and cracked his shoulder before returning her gaze with a smirk.

"I'm curious to see how much of a fight you'll actually pose against me," Ren added as Bridget's smile widened to a toothy grin before she lunged at him with her quickened speed. Much more prepared for her second blow Ren was able to deflect her arm before he grabbed Bridget by the waist and flipped her before pinning her to the ground.

"Oh, Ren!" she cooed under him before wiggling out of his hold and taking hold of his left arm, "you'll have to do better than that!" she added before twisting his arm until he felt it pop out of its socket. He ground his teeth together at the pain, but quickly grabbed her jaw. He enjoyed the fear that appeared in her dark eyes as he swung his arm loose from her hold and held her prisoner above the ground.

His fingers held onto the pressure points on the back of her jaw as the rest of her body went slack, leaving her virtually helpless. She stared back at him with enlarged eyes before she was able to get feeling back in her arms and lashed out at his stomach, digging her nails into his skin. He lurched forward when he felt her fingers dig into his flesh. He flinched when he felt a warm sensation come from her fingertips. _She's injecting poison!_ He thought as he felt the immediate affects of the strong substance. She smiled devilishly at him when she felt his body weaken before she freed herself from his grasp.

"It looks like your little plan on immobilizing me failed," she grinned as she grabbed him by his hair and dragged him towards the windowsill, "now I hope you'll forgive me honey, but I have to teach you a lesson," she pouted as she hung his head over the ledge, six stories above the ground. Ren sucked in a deep breath as he positioned his hands beneath him, fighting the poison he felt coursing through his system. Bridget had a funny way of relying on infections and disease to slowly kill her enemies rather than on brute force alone. A tactic that he knew could thwart her.

He flipped his body over in a blur of black leather just as Bridget placed her hand on his head. She let out a surprised breath at his quick motion before she let out a scream when Ren sank his fangs into her nearest arm. Her blood flowed into his mouth the instant his lips closed over the bite wound, and he greedily sucked in the energy it had to offer.

Bridget threw her arm away from her body as she worked to shake him off, but he grabbed hold of her arm to keep his blood supply stable. He could feel the power of the other council members flooding his system, and his eyes bled red as he felt the increase of his own powers. He felt the blood begin to heal the open wound on his stomach, and even reattach his arm to his shoulder.

"Get off me!" Bridget cried as she hurriedly smacked his head against the windowsill hard enough to dislodge his fangs from her arm. She then brought back her hand before she pierced through his middle in one clean shot. His eyes widened and he wheezed when she retracted her hand before he bit down on his bottom lip until it bled.

"While I like the idea of feeding off each other, I don't think this is the right time or place," Bridget teased before she cupped his jaw and gave him a quick kiss, making sure to lick the blood off the wounds his fangs had inflicted. Ren growled against her mouth before he grabbed her arms and quickly flipped her back around. He sensed her surprise as he trapped her body against his before he wound one hand around her neck. He closed his fingers around her windpipe as he led her towards the windowsill.

"The tables have turned," Ren seethed as he held her head out to look down at the bustling traffic six stories below.

"Ren," Bridget wheezed as she held onto the windowsill for dear life, his hold on her windpipe cutting off the air flow to her lungs. Ren smiled above her as he bent his head down to rest his lips against her ear.

"If you leave now, I won't kill you," Ren whispered, "but I expect you to leave me and the rest of my family alone, do you understand?" he asked, and Bridget nodded her head before letting out a cough when he released her throat. She cast him an angry glare before a smile spread across her face as she lunged at him one last time to bite his shoulder. He let out a grunt of surprise as she began greedily sucking out his blood.

But just as he moved to grab for her, she released him and flew off the windowsill to levitate in the sky.

"I had to take back what you took from me," Bridget smiled before she blew Ren a kiss and disappeared in a circle of bats. Ren glared at the spot she had been standing before he let out a throaty cough and held onto his stomach when he felt a fresh wave of blood pour out of his system.

"Hah, it looks like I keep getting my ass kicked unexpectedly," he chuckled between coughs as he gazed at Angie who still slept peacefully on the hotel bed. He flinched once more when he felt the poison begin to travel further through his blood stream. He let out a ragged breath as he considered feeding from Angie to replenish the blood he had lost, but decided against it. _It'd be no fun just feeding off her out of starvation,_ he thought with a smirk,_ I'll save you for next time_.

And with that, he disappeared in a cluster of bats to get back home. At least there his family would surely have blood bottles that he could salvage from to heal his wounds.

(Divider)

Maki let out a sigh as she put her math book down, tired of numbers altogether. _If I have to stare at another proof I swear I'm gonna die!_ She thought, and visibly shuddered. Karin hadn't come back either, but Maki hadn't been worried for too long. She got a call from Usui telling her that Karin was there, and spending the night.

"Jeez, Karin. How are you ever going to catch up with homework if you're spending all your time at _his_ house?" Maki asked to no one in particular. She rested her arm on her forehead as she let out another long sigh. _I could take a shower,_ she thought, and rather liked the idea, before reaching for her side ponytail and releasing her hair from its elastic prison. She then ran her fingers through her green tressed to loosen the ponytail crease before sliding the ponytail on her wrist.

She pushed herself out of the kitchen chair and stretched before she headed towards the stairs. She had only been to Karin's room once, but she know which one was hers when she saw the inside of it. The light of the moon stopped Maki in her tracks when it lit her face though, and she turned to gaze up at it in wonder.

"Wow, the moon's so close tonight," she murmured in fascination before resting her arms on the sink to stare up at it. It looked so peaceful and surreal. A feeling that Maki soon got after staring at it for awhile. She felt a smile tug at the edges of her lips when she remembered running into Winner on a night with a full moon.

_He looked so handsome in his vampire hunting outfit, _Maki thought happily to herself before she jolted out of her thoughts when a realization hit her.

"Wait a minute! So Winner _wasn't_ lying when he said that he was a vampire hunter, because there really _are_ vampires!" Maki exclaimed before she let out a laugh and shook her head slightly. That didn't change the fact that Winner was a little melodramatic and any different than he already was. _If he hasn't found out Karin's secret by now, then he isn't that good of a vampire hunter, _she thought, and figured that was why Ren hadn't reacted strongly to Winner when they had encountered him the night before.

Maki turned her head slightly to the side in thought until a loud bang echoed off the walls that caused Maki to jump five feet in the air. _That came from the entrance,_ she thought as she looked around the room for a weapon to protect herself with. _Aha!_ She thought triumphantly when she spotted a large kitchen knife sitting on the counter near the sink. She quickly fetched it before she cautiously made her way to the entrance.

She clutched the knife close to her chest as she rounded the corner and let out a squeak of fear when she saw the form of a person resting against the front door. She gulped as she squinted in the darkness to try and identify the stranger, but she felt as blind as a bat.

_Karin really needs to keep her blinds open at night,_ she thought as she slowly made her way to the nearest window. She hoped to open the blinds just a little so she could see the person's face.

"Stop...stop moving," a slurred voice commanded. Maki stopped immediately as she turned towards the stranger, and spotted faint movement in that general direction.

"Don't come any closer!" she warned, "I have a knife, and I'm not afraid to use it!" she added, but hated how her voice trembled and her knees shook like dry leaves in the wind.

"It's me, Maki," the slurred voice replied and Maki turned from the stranger to make it the rest of the way to the blinds, but was only able to twist the handle a fraction before her arms were taken captive by two large hands.

"I said to...stop moving," the voice growled, and Maki spotted silver hair and golden eyes through what little light the blinds gave her.

"Ren!" she recognized him instantly, but held her tongue when she felt his grip tighten on her wrists as he pulled them over her head and trapped her between his body and the window.

"My chest...pulsed when you moved. I told you not to...not to move," he repeated as he stared down at her with predatory eyes. An intense hunger stared into her forest green eyes that mirrored that of a starving animal that had finally caught its dinner. His golden irises even looked red to Maki when she was caught in his hypothesizing gaze.

"Ren, what are you...?" she began only to pause when he ducked his head and she saw fresh blood covering his jaw and neck. Was that blood his own, or from when he...fed? She frantically struggled against his hands to get free, but his grip was like iron. Her heart began to beat like a humming birds wings when she felt his breath on her neck.

"You smell like..." Ren began as he brushed his nose against the soft part of her throat, and against her better judgment Maki felt her cheeks heat up in a blush at the feel of his caress.

"Ren..." Maki sighed before gasping when she felt him faintly trail his fangs along her skin where his nose had been, "you're – you're hurt aren't you?" she asked, knowing that she had to get him talking. If he just got to talking then he'd stop – whatever it was he was doing to her. _But do I really want him to?_ She thought before her cheeks heated up further at the sensual idea of them continuing. Of where it could take them.

"Yes," he hissed against her flesh, "but blood – human blood, can help heal the...poison,"

"Poison? You – You didn't feed from someone?" Maki gulped and felt her body shudder against his when he started tracing circles across her neck with his tongue. Suddenly he retracted his hands from her wrists and ran them through her hair as he gently pushed her head back to get better access to her neck.

His breath was ragged and warm against her skin as he continued to taste the flavor of her flesh, and Maki let her hands fall mutely to her sides. She leaned against his body as she shut her eyes and willed him to bite her, wished it even. The intensity of his hunger for her sent a tremor through her body that she didn't entirely dislike.

"Blood, I need...blood. But I can't...wait any longer," he growled against her skin as Maki let out a faint scream when she felt his fangs press against the ends of her throat. If his bite was rough, if he drank her until she was dry, she could be living in her final moments. The thought of death scared her, scared her so much that she screamed. The sound of her scream seemed to snap Ren out of his trance, for in the next moment Maki stood in the kitchen alone.

(Divider)

_Ok so I know I left everyone high and dry, but I promise to update very soon! I hope the romance wasn't spiked too soon in the story. If there was anything that seemed off or bothered you, please let me know! Also, if some of the filler scenes seemed a bit out of place or unnecessary, let me know about that too! Please review with what you all thought!_

_P.S. I'm not sure if there was a council of vampires in the Karin manga, or if Bridget was a shape shifter that could produce poison. They were merely ideas that popped into my head as I was writing them. _


	5. Getting bitten by a vampire

_So, really sorry that I haven't written in awhile =X It's been a hectic summer for me and I have barely found any time to do, frankly anything. Hopefully this chapter will go over well with everyone, and will be well worth the wait! _

* * *

"Dammit!" Ren ground out as he punched the stone basement wall. His fist gave out under the pressure of the blow, but he ignored the slight tremor of his fingers. His body was shutting down, and he could feel his organs beginning to fail. He needed blood, at least enough to sustain his body for the night. If he could just make it through the night he'd recover from the poison. But the thought of his imminent death wasn't the only thing on his mind.

_I almost killed her a second ago_, he thought as he used his injured hand to balance against the wall. He had never gotten so close to killing a meal before, and he knew what kind of danger it would have put his family in had it happened. He regretted not feeding from a bystander or even an animal before returning home. In his attempt to get home he hadn't considered that his family may have gone out for the evening, or that they would have left Maki behind.

_I'll be lucky if she doesn't try to stake me the next time I see her,_ he thought with a humorless laugh. He could already picture her green eyes darkening in anger and the possible words that would leave her mouth the moment she set eyes on him again. At the same time he envisioned her anger, he also remembered that she hadn't lashed out at him when he held her in his deadly embrace. She had the kitchen knife in her hand and when he let her go she was in perfect striking position of his heart. And yet… she had let her hands fall to her sides and stood motionless in his arms. Had she given up? Willed herself to be the sacrifice to his survival? Curious what a bite from a vampire felt like? There were so many unanswered questions that it left Ren's head spinning.

Suddenly his senses were filled with the scent of tiger lilies. The same smell that had enveloped his room earlier and that he had smelled on her skin. He remembered how soft she had felt, and how serene she had looked with her hair down in the moonlight. _She could have even rivaled a female vampire's beauty,_ he thought and hurriedly squashed the comparison. Now wasn't the time to think about the petite green haired girl. His golden eyes narrowed as he focused his senses to detect any amount of blood in the room. It didn't take long for him to smell the stench of pride blood in the basement's wine cellar. He willed his body to move forward as he closed the distance between himself and the promise of life.

"Ren!" Maki's voice cried out from atop the basement stairs, and Ren visibly winced but didn't stop walking. The faster he got a hold of the bottle of blood the quicker Maki would be safe from his hunger. But, like the idiot she kept proving herself to be, Maki ran into his line of vision and blocked him with outstretched hands.

"Ren, let me help you!" she offered worriedly, and it was such a tempting offer. Ren could feel his chest begin to pulse as his nose inhaled her scent and he could practically taste the warmth of her blood on his tongue.

"Let me pass," he commanded, "you don't want me to hurt you," he added before wincing when the poison hit his lungs and he felt the organ pulse uncontrollably at the lethal invasion. He shut his eyes at the pain before he felt gentle but firm hands grab his shoulders and maneuver him into a kneeling and then sitting position. Then he could smell her warm blood near his nose as he opened his eyes to see her wrist presented to him.

"Just drink from me," she proposed as Ren weakly shook his head.

"I can't – there's a bottle of blood over in the wine cellar behind you. Get the blood from there," he wheezed but she stubbornly shook her head.

"I don't trust that when I get back you'll still be breathing. I know vampires need blood to stay alive, and right now you don't have a choice. It's harsh, but it's the truth," she answered before waving her wrist in front of him again, "just bite me. If giving my blood to you means saving your life than I'm alright with it," she added in for good measure.

Ren found it harder and harder to deny her, but knew what feeding from her would mean. Karin would never forgive him, his parents would scold him, and he'd probably get a not-too-happy stare from Anju. He also had never fed from someone that was outside of his blood preference before. He would suck out stress from those filled with it, but he had never fed from someone like Maki. He didn't know what kind of effect his bite would have on her.

"Do I have to do it myself?" Maki huffed impatiently as she began withdrawing her arm, but let out a soft gasp when Ren's good arm lashed out and held hers captive near his mouth. Whatever doubts had filled his head before were gone as the predatory instinct to feed took over. His eyes burned red and his throat went dry as he hesitantly inched his head forward until his fangs were within striking distance. He felt her arm tense under his iron grip as she let out a high squeak of surprise when his fangs pierced her skin. Her cry of surprise was short lived, for in the next moment she went quiet.

Whether she had gone silent to make him feel better about what he was doing or simply because she was too frightened to scream, he didn't care. The taste of her blood was so sweet that he nearly saw stars as he greedily sucked. Her blood's taste reminded him of the flower that her scent was so similar to that he envisioned a field of tiger lilies surrounding him from all sides. Never had he seen anything like it before, and he wondered if drinking blood on the brink of death did this to every vampire.

The serene high only lasted for what seemed like a few seconds before Maki's soft wheezing caught Ren's attention. His eyes darted towards her face as he saw the beginning beads of sweat begin to form on her forehead and her complexion steadily paling. A faint flush had coated her clammy cheeks as her green eyes held his captive for a moment. Desire, need, excitement, and a shimmer of fear decorated those green depths, emotions he had seen millions of times before on other women. They seemed almost comical on her innocent and naïve-looking features, but something inside him burned hotly from her gaze.

"Ren… I…" she murmured weakly as she stared at him through hooded lids, seemingly unable to tear her eyes away from his own. He wanted to continue drinking her blood, to drink until there was nothing left, but he felt his conscience start to return as his newfound strength fought off the poison that was invading his system.

As he felt the poison's sting begin to subside he willed his fangs to detach from her wrist and gently lapped at the wound with his tongue until all that was left were two sealed puncture wounds from his fangs. When he finally moved his mouth away he felt a tremor shoot up her arm and realization hit as he removed his captive hand and could almost see the muscles in her arm spasm as blood hurriedly began to flow to it again. She gave him a weak smile before her eyelids fluttered and he saw her knees give out from under her. He was on his feet just in time to catch her falling form as her head gently brushed against his chest and she shut her eyes.

"I only need a…moment, and then I'll be… OK," she assured him unconvincingly, her voice muffled against his shirt. His strength was returning tenfold and he quickly scooped her up just as her body went limp. Her eyes were shut and her face remained perfectly still. Had he not heard the faint beating of her heart, he would have feared that she had died in his arms.

Her complexion was quickly returning as he stared at her peaceful features before the two disappeared into a collection of bats. In the next moment his bats dispersed and the two were in his bedroom. Her body remained limp as he set her gently on his blankets, finding it somewhat relieving to know that she'd be in his room tonight. The threat that Bridget mentioned haunted his thoughts as he mauled over staying to watch over her in case the vampiress decided to make another personal visit. The poison had dulled as his replenished body fought off the infection. He would still need some sort of rest for it to completely disappear but he'd have the day to sleep.

The sound of faint murmurs filled the halls as Ren's ears twitched at the familiar sounds of his family. He'd have to greet them, but not in the state that he was in. His clothes smelled like blood, and he would have to get rid of them. He cast Maki a quick glance before he pulled the blankets out from under her body and covered her with them. He made sure to hide her marked wrist underneath the dark covers before he transported himself back into the basement.

* * *

The light rays of sunlight hit Maki's eyelids as she groaned softly before reluctantly opening her eyes. _It's too early, _she thought as she rubbed her eyes. A small crack in the black curtains let in the sun's invasion as she squinted at the bar of bright light. She let out a large yawn and stretched before looking around the room groggily. It was only after another yawn that she remembered what had happened the night before and she quickly looked at her wrist.

Two tiny bite marks decorated the inside skin of her wrist as she stared at them in amazement before moving the bed covers off of her legs and turning her body so her feet could touch the ground. _I can't believe it actually happened…so it wasn't a dream,_ she thought. She envisioned Ren's bent form, and how strange and yet exhilarating his bite had felt. The remembered sensation of his tongue against her skin sent a shiver up her spine as her cheeks flushed while her heart beat a little bit faster.

A piece of paper had fallen from the covers and it caught her eye as it made its descent to the rugged floor. She picked it up only to see that there was something written on it:

_Maki – _

_I left a bracelet on my desk for you to wear to cover the bite marks on your wrist. Wear it until they disappear. _

_-R_

Maki looked up from the note to spot the desk in question pushed up against the wall and quickly spotted a large dark green plastic bracelet on top of it. She mutely stood before making her way over to the desk and picking up the piece of jewelry. It felt good in her hands and she fingered the bracelet for a moment before sliding it on her wrist. It fit her perfectly and easily masked the puncture marks on her skin. She wondered about the color, and if Ren had purposefully chosen the color to match her hair and eyes. The thought oddly brought a smile to her face, and she felt her heartbeat quicken once again.

_Wait, what am I thinking? Ren is Karin's older brother, and a guy who can't keep his eyes to himself!_ She conceded, remembering the time in the diner where he seemed preoccupied with every woman except her. She knew she had only offered her blood to him because she could tell that he was in pain, and looked desperate when he arrived home. It was the least she could do for him, after he had saved her life from Sinclair.

_But I saved his life too…and yet, he wants to hide that fact, like he's embarrassed or something,_ she thought and felt a dreary cloud appear over her shoulders suddenly. Her eyelashes hooded her face as she moved away from the desk and out of Ren's room altogether. Suddenly, she didn't want to be near it anymore.

She took the stairs two at a time and made her way to the kitchen before the smell of toast caught her attention and she turned her head just in time to catch Karin pull a slice of bread out of the toaster.

"Mmm! Toast is so good to have in the morning!" she heard her friend coo happily as she buttered a slice. Maki gave her friend a half smile before she tried her hardest to sneak past her, but flinched when Karin whirled around and called out her name.

"Maki! You're awake! I was so worried you'd oversleep and miss the Math test today. But that's silly to think, right? Maki, missing a math test? Impossible!" Karin giggled, "Do you want me to make you any breakfast before we go?" she asked politely.

"I'm fine, thanks," Maki replied with a smile before casting a glance at the large clock hanging above Karin's head, "Whoa! We only have twenty minutes to get to homeroom!" she cried out as she ran past the kitchen and grabbed Karin on her way to the door. She grabbed her blue purse on the table that had her math book in it (thankfully) and rushed out the door, with a surprised Karin and her toast in tow.

* * *

"Karin-san! Karin-san!" Winner cried out excitedly as the two girls nearly ran him over on their way to homeroom, "My dearest Karin, I know you will ace that math test! Good luck to you too, Karin-san's friend!" he cried after them as Karin gave him a bashful wave of thanks while Maki continued to pull her down the hallway.

"Maki I think we're OK now. It's not like we won't be allowed to take the test if we show up a few minutes late," Karin offered.

"I'm not going to take that chance, Karin!" Maki replied hotly as they rounded the corner and into their homeroom, thankfully with a whole minute to spare. The girls took their seats as the rest of the class kept their noses in their math books, heavily studying what material they could before the exam.

Maki let out a sigh of relief as she settled in her chair before glancing over at Karin, "So do you think you're ready for this Karin? You and Usui spent a lot of time studying for it," she smiled as Karin gave her a curt nod and a smile back.

"Yep!" she chirped in reply, "he said that he thinks I'll do great on this test because I've never shown so much improvement before!" she added happily. Maki gave her another smile before the door was slid open and a rather flustered looking Winner was pushed in by the teacher.

"But Ma'am! Certainly I can take the test tomorrow?" he asked as the teacher glared at him over her rimmed glasses.

"I'm sorry Sinclair, but I make no exceptions for my students. Now sit down," she commanded as Winner gave her a helpless look, but when she didn't budge he hung his head in defeat and went to sit down next to Maki and Karin.

"Why does the world have to be so cruel?" he whined as he folded his arms and rested them on his desk. Maki and Karin gave him helpless shrugs while the other girls swooned behind them when a far-off look softened his baby blue eyes. Surprisingly, Maki didn't feel her heart flutter from his expression or her jealously spike at the sound of the other girls' admiration for him.

"You'll give me the answers right, Miss Karin-san's friend?" Winner asked with watery eyes as he grabbed onto Maki's arm. She gave him a quick glance before she shut her eyes and turned her head away.

"Fat chance, I'm not going to help you cheat. You should have studied beforehand," Maki huffed as Winner hung his head.

"Your – You're so cruel too, Karin-san's friend," he whimpered.

"My name is Maki," she interjected angrily. Karin let out a little giggle at their squabbling as the two turned to look at her.

"Don't worry too much about it, Winner-kun. You can always retake it if you don't do well," Karin stated as Winner took one of her hands in his and bowed over it.

"My dearest Karin, you are indeed a descendent from the heavens. For only an angel would be able to think so positively in such a dire situation!" he vouched as Karin let out an awkward laugh before slowly pulling her hand back.

"Oh boy," Maki groaned softly as she rested her chin in her hands and turned away from the two.

"Ok class I will be distributing the tests. Put away your textbooks and study materials!" the teacher ordered as the teens in the classroom shuffled around their desks to put notebooks and texts back into their bags. Maki perked up at the sound of the teacher's voice and was about to grab for her pencil when something poked her right shoulder.

"Here, take this," Winner offered as Maki turned from his handsome face to the blue pencil in his hand, "It's my lucky pencil and I'm sure it'll bring you luck too, Karin-san's friend," Although Maki wanted desperately to correct him about her name, she couldn't help but feel flattered at Winner's generosity.

"Thank you," she murmured softly, rather dumbfounded at the offering. She would have expected him to give his "lucky" pencil to Karin over her. He gave her a pearly white smile before reaching into his bag for another pencil, a green one. The color looked almost identical to the color of the bracelet that Ren left for her earlier that morning. The thought had Maki's eyes glued to the piece of jewelry in a flash as it sat motionless on her wrist. _My bitten wrist,_ she corrected and couldn't help but look helplessly at Karin. She wanted to tell her about Ren, but worried how she'd react or how the others in her family would take the news.

"Ms. Tokitou, please take your test," the teacher prompted as Maki blinked out of her thoughts and gave the teacher a curt nod before she took the presented booklet. She huffed mildly before moving on to the student behind her. Maki let out a long breath as she tried to push her thoughts of Ren to the back of her mind. She had to forget about any romantic fantasies and come to terms with the fact that he was a vampire and far out of her league. She had to realize that Ren wasn't going to be the ever grateful and charming man that she desperately wanted him to be.

Suddenly she heard Karin let out a squeak of surprise before she stood up and knocked her chair to the ground. She was grabbing her nose fiercely and yelled something about having a nosebleed before rushing out of the room.

There was silence in the room before the teacher cleared her throat and ordered everyone to get back to their tests. Maki kept her eyes on the door for a second longer than everyone else before she too returned her eyes to her test.

* * *

"Oh no! This can't be happening _now_!" Karin shrieked as she made it outside while gasping for air. She hadn't been that close to a nosebleed in awhile, and felt her face heat up as she frantically searched around the area for Usui. She knew he had gym class first (their schedules weren't the same this year) and wondered if she could catch him in between games for a quick bite.

"Wait, I can't do that. I just need to breathe and I'll be fine," she stated while slowing her breathing down to a faint wheeze. Her body still burned, but the pain in her face started to dull as she gained better control. _Besides, I can't treat Usui like my personal blood bank_, Karin thought, _that would be unfair to him_.

Her thoughts instead traveled to the source of her almost-nosebleed. She had sensed Maki's unhappiness a little that morning, but it wasn't nearly as bad as it was a minute ago. What was happening with Maki that was causing her so much unhappiness? _Is it because she knows my secret? __Does she worry that she won't be able to keep it?_ Karin thought fearfully before she shook her head. There was no way Maki could be upset about that. She had acted perfectly fine when she found out the day before. If anyone could accept that vampires were real, Maki was by far the only person Karin could imagine being alright with it.

_Maybe she was worried about the test or upset at me for leaving her for Usui last night? That has to be it! She's probably feels like I chose Usui over her!_ Karin concluded with a confident nod.

"I know! I'll let her tag along with Usui-kun and I to Julian's today! That will lift her spirits," Karin grinned at her own brilliance before she whirled on her heels and headed back to homeroom to finish her test.

* * *

"Oh man, that test was challenging!" Maki sighed as she stretched her arms over her head before rolling her shoulders to relieve the tension that had gathered there over the two hour period.

"Miss Karin-san's friend! Please wait for me!" Winner called as Maki turned just as Winner closed the distance between them, "what did you think of the test?"

"It was hard, but I think I did OK. You?" Maki asked before her eyes widened and she hurriedly dug into her bag before pulling out his blue pencil, "Here's your lucky pencil back, by the way. I think it really did help," she smiled as Winner nodded and cradled the pencil in his hands.

"It's saved me on a number of occasions, but sadly I think it's lost its magic recently," he replied, "I haven't been able to do well on anything with it lately. Maybe because you used it, the magic will come around again," he added with a charming smile. Maki gave him a smile in return before glancing around his shoulders.

"I wonder how Karin's doing in there. She looked pretty stressed out," Maki observed as Winner turned to look back at the classroom before nodding his head.

"She does look a little worse for wear, but I'm sure my dearest Karin will ace the test," he answered proudly, and even puffed out his chest in pride. Maki shook her head slightly with a soft laugh.

"Where you going to have lunch now, Miss Karin-san's friend?" Winner asked and Maki sent him a surprised glance before nodding her head, "would you like to eat outside? It's nice out today,"

"Sure," Maki replied skeptically before her cheeks flushed when Winner wrapped an arm around her shoulders and escorted her towards the entrance. _Winner has never been this friendly before_, Maki thought and couldn't help but grin from ear to ear when she saw all the dirty looks the others girls standing in the hallway were sending her way. She wasn't one to laugh at others' miseries, but she had to admit that she rather liked the attention.

Once they made it outside Winner removed his arm from around her shoulders and glanced around the front lawn before his blue eyes landed on an outside staircase.

"Let's go up there, Miss Karin-san's friend," he prompted as he walked towards the stairs with Maki following close behind. Winner grabbed onto the metal railing as he ascended the stairs and when he got to the top he offered a hand to Maki who wasn't far behind him. She still couldn't shake off the strangeness of the situation. Winner hadn't wanted to eat lunch with her until then, and denied her every time she had asked him out before_. So, why now?_ She thought as she took his outstretched hand and wondered if maybe he was slowly moving on from Karin. Perhaps she still had a chance.

"It's beautiful up here," Maki breathed as Winner gave her another smile before nodding his head, a stray blonde strand curling around his forehead.

"I've always wanted to have lunch up here ever since I saw Karin-san and Usui-kun eat here. They always come up here, you know," he replied and Maki couldn't help but hang her head. Of course Winner would want to eat where his "dearest Karin" had eaten.

"Shall we?" he offered as he put his bag on the ground and salvaged around for his lunch. Maki set her bag next to his while looking around for her lunch too before she realized she hadn't packed one that morning. Her face fell at the realization before it flushed in embarrassment. Winner had just pulled out his lunch when his eyes fell on Maki's sunken expression and he gave her a knowing look.

"You forgot your lunch?" he asked before plopping down on the concrete with his lunch, "we can share mine. I packed more today, in case Karin-san wanted some," he added, his face lighting up at the mention of Karin. Maki could only sigh in defeat.

"I suppose I should take what I can get," Maki mumbled.

"What's that, Miss Karin-san's friend?" Winner asked as Maki shook her head before sitting down beside him.

"Why do you always call me 'Miss Karin-san's friend?'" she asked as Winner gave her a quizzical look before answering.

"I assumed that you wanted to be given an honorable title," he answered with a shrug.

"Miss Karin-san's friend is an honorable title? Why don't you call me Maki-san or just Maki?" she asked.

"I didn't think that the title bothered you Miss Karin-san's – I mean, Maki-san," Winner replied, "why haven't you mentioned it before?" he added curiously.

"I have! You just never listen to me!" Maki answered angrily before sighing and calming herself down, "I mean, I've said it a lot but you always seemed distracted whenever I've told you," she clarified, leaving out the part about him always being distracted when chasing after Karin.

"I'm sorry if I've wronged you, Maki-san. I promise from now on to only call you Maki-san," he promised before pulling out what looked like a five course platter of food from his lunch bag, "consider sharing my lunch a peace offering for any offense that I have done to you, Maki-san," he added proudly. Maki's eyes grew as she took in the sight of all the prepared food before giving Winner a thankful look. He gave her a soft knowing smile as he reached into his bag again to hand her a pair of chopsticks as well as grabbing a pair for himself.

The two picked and chose between different parts of the dishes to munch on in silence before the sound of the roof door opening caught their attention. Karin and Usui emerged with box lunches of their own and deep in conversation when they went silent as their eyes landed on Maki and Winner.

"Karin-san!" Winner cried out happily as he quickly jumped to his feet, "I have brought enough food to share if you'd like to join Maki-san and me for lunch," he offered as Karin's cheeks flushed and she looked between Usui and Winner for a moment before hurriedly shaking her head. Maki quickly got to her feet as well before she grabbed onto Winner's arm.

"Hey, let them eat on their own! It's obvious they want to enjoy their date in peace!" Maki pointed out as Winner gave her a surprised look and Karin's cheeks grew a shade darker.

"Is it that obvious that we're on a date?" Karin asked worriedly, "we're just going to eat lunch, not do any other date-like stuff!" she added shrilly before grabbing Usui's arm and the two disappeared just as the roof door shut.

"Karin-san!" Winner called after her frantically before Maki let go of his arm and sat back down next to his lunch with a huff. _So much for enjoying lunch with Winner…_ Maki thought with a sigh. It seemed like she'd never win when it came to competing with Karin, even when she was with Usui.

"Maki-san…do you think there's a way that you could convince Karin-san to go out with me instead of Usui-kun?" Winner asked hopefully, and Maki threw her hands up angrily before standing. In mute rage she grabbed for her bag and slung it over her shoulder. She wouldn't deal with being asked to be the matchmaker for the guy that she liked. Especially when he was after her best friend who would never leave Usui for him, of that Maki was certain.

"Wait, Maki-san! Where are you going?" Winner called after her when she began walking towards the door Karin and Usui had gone through.

"I'm leaving, enjoy your lunch," she answered firmly. She didn't bother to turn and see what expression was on his face as she walked away. She left him standing on the roof as she made her way down the stairs to their next class.

* * *

"Big brother," Anju murmured as the young vampire glanced at Ren who was presently sitting on the couch next to her with a book in hand.

"What is it?" he asked back, not straying his eyes away from the text.

"You look…healthier than I've seen you in awhile. Have you been feeding well lately?" she asked softly as she caught her brother's eyes with her own. They stared at one another for a moment, and Anju's eyes widened slightly before they reverted back to their gentle state.

"I wondered why you smelled so much like big sister's friend," she replied before her gaze hardened slightly, "have you told Karin yet?"

"No, and I don't plan to," he answered, "I gave Maki a bracelet to cover the bite marks until they disappear. I would have erased her memory but I need her to keep it as much a secret as I am from Karin. I expect you to keep your mouth shut too," he added with a pointed look in her direction.

"I can't keep Karin in the dark forever, but I will try my best if keeping the secret will ensure her happiness. I don't want to see her as upset as she was when she found out I bit Maki. I couldn't handle seeing big sister cry like that again," she replied solemnly, "but you know that the family will soon find out on their own as well. How will you keep them from finding out, big brother?"

"So long as Maki remains in the house they won't suspect why our scents have mixed. Sinclair is probably still on the hunt for us, so she'll have no choice in the matter until that threat has disappeared," he replied and Anju stared at him long and hard before turning to look towards one of the covered windows where a small amount of light had slid its way into the house. The light was growing dimmer as the sun began to set, and Anju couldn't help but feel like the darkness of the house was suffocating what little light was left. Soon there would be nothing but darkness.

* * *

"Hey Maki! Usui and I are going to Julian's if you want to come with!" Karin called out to her friend as Maki looked up from her bag at the couple. Usui had his backpack slung over his broad shoulders as Karin held their box lunches in each hand. She gave the two a smile before nodding her head.

"You two go on ahead, I'll catch up in a minute!" she replied as the two nodded before exiting, Usui mindful of Karin's exit as he held the door open for her. Maki had just finished packing her bag when she took a step forward and bumped into someone.

"Oh sorry!" she apologized quickly before looking up into a pair of baby blue eyes.

"Maki-san! I'm glad I caught you before you left!" Winner stated happily before presenting her with a wrapped red bag, "this was part of my lunch that you didn't get to finish. I wanted to make sure you got it since you ran off earlier," he added. Maki would have blushed any other time Winner would have offered her the rest of his lunch, but she remembered that he had only been nice because he wanted her to set him up with Karin.

"Keep it," she replied icily, and was almost positive he froze in place at her comment as she walked around him and out the door. She walked about a foot past the classroom before she heard Winner's sing song voice call out to her.

"Wait Maki-san!" he cried out as she heard him push a few kids out of the way to get to her, "please don't be upset with me. I just wanted to apologize for earlier. I know that was very ungentlemanly of me to ask for Karin-san when I was spending time with you," he added once he was by her side. She considered his apology for a moment before she shook her head and kept walking. _It's not like he's doing this for me. He's only concerned about losing me because I'm his connection to Karin,_ she thought and hated the jealous pang that vibrated in her chest. Why did Winner have to be in love with Karin? What was so wrong with _her_?

"At least let me walk you home, Maki-san," he persisted before grabbing her arm to stop her. His grip was so close to Ren's bite marks that she let out a hiss of surprise at the pain. His grip wasn't very strong, but her wrist pulsed in protest at his touch. He immediately let her go before taking a step back.

"F – Forgive me, Maki-san! I didn't think I had grabbed you that roughly," Winner quickly apologized before letting out a huff, "I don't know why I'm so disjointed around you, Maki-san. With any other girl I'm the perfect gentleman," he added in bemusement. Maki paused at that, and felt her heart flutter at the uniqueness of his behavior around her. It was true that Winner always strived to be the most charming boy in school. He never missed a beat around Karin, albeit acting a bit desperate at times, but he still managed to remain a perfect gentleman nonetheless.

"Here, Maki-san," he said as he presented her with the lunch, "at least entertain my hopes of a truce by taking this lunch. I won't ask anything more of you in the future," he added as Maki mutely took the bag out of his hands. She wasn't sure where to go from there. It wasn't like Winner had ever shown any interest in her before. Although she had more experience with boys than Karin, she couldn't help but feel like this was her first time receiving a gift from one. She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't realize Winner had left until she blinked out of her trance.

"Wait, Winner!" she called as she spun around just in time to catch him walking out the exit. He didn't turn at her call and she quickly ran after him, ignoring all the eyes on her. It took her longer than expected since all of the students were leaving for the day and she had to carefully weed through the crowd.

When she finally emerged out of the school she spotted Winner talking with Karin and Usui and felt her heart drop. While she wanted to hang out with her friends, she also wanted to talk to Winner alone. She hadn't realized she had been staring until she noticed Karin waving her over. She quickly hurried over to her friend's side just as Karin and Usui linked arms.

"Winner said that he wanted to walk you home, so we'll see you later Maki!" Karin giggled as she waved at the two before she and Usui turned and began walking towards Julian's in their work uniforms. Maki blinked in surprise at Karin's receding form before she turned to look back at Winner.

"I hope you don't mind that I told them I was going to walk you home. If you really wanted to hang out with Karin and Usui you can go with them," he offered as Maki looked back at the couple longingly before shaking her head.

"No, I need to rest anyway," she replied and fell in step with Winner as they began walking to her house.

"Oh, if you wouldn't mind Maki-san, which way is it to your house?" Winner asked with an embarrassed laugh as Maki rolled her eyes before laughing too.

"Figured you didn't know," she answered with a smirk, "I'll lead the way," she added encouragingly as Winner nodded back enthusiastically.

* * *

Maki had just turned the corner towards her house when Winner stopped their conversation to look past her towards the alley.

"Winner? You OK?" she asked worriedly before she followed his gaze to spot an older gentleman making his way towards them. It wasn't until the sun had reflected off of his blonde hair that she recognized him. _The vampire hunter!_ Her green eyes widened in fright as she remembered how close he had come to killing her before. Without warning she hurriedly hid behind the wall of the nearest building and shushed Winner when he turned to give her a quizzical look.

"Winner!" the older man declared, which instantly caught Winner's attention and he turned back around to answer him. Maki wasn't able to get a good visual on him with the wall in between them, "Weren't you standing with someone else a moment ago?" the man asked as Maki held her breath while she waited for Winner's response.

"Someone else?" Winner parroted back with a fake laugh, "I don't know what you're talking about, grandfather! You must be seeing things! There's no one else here but you and I," he added, which sounded just as convincing as his laugh. The man didn't reply at first, but Maki heard the ruffling of clothes and faint whispers among the two. She strained to hear what they were saying, but only got out "vampire" and "green haired girl" before her face went pale. Winner would know instantly that she was the girl his grandfather was talking about. There wasn't another green haired girl besides her around for miles.

"I'll keep you informed if I find either of them, grandfather," she heard Winner promise before the two said a quick goodbye and her voice nearly squeaked in fear when the older Sinclair walked past her hiding form. The shadows from the wall hid most of her body from view, but if he had looked behind him, even for a second, he would have spotted her. She remained motionless until he turned another corner and was out of sight.

"Maki-san, you can come out of hiding now," Winner stated, popping his head out from around the corner. Maki let out a breath of relief before turning to look at him, but paused when she saw the suspicion in his eyes.

"So, that was your grandfather? He seems nice," she replied lamely before Winner rolled his eyes and turned his body back around. Maki let out a helpless sigh before she sheepishly stepped out from behind the wall to spot Winner with his hands in his pockets and deep in thought. When she took a step towards him his eyes stared at her shoes for a moment before he spoke.

"Maki-san, can I ask you a serious question?" he asked softly, and all Maki could do was nod as her heart beat frantically in her chest, "were you the green haired girl that my grandfather spoke of? Is that why you hid behind the wall when you saw him coming?"

"Me? Hide? Oh no, that was – I was just really interested in this little rock that I saw when we passed by this corner and I wanted to look at it closer!" she defended as best she could, but her smile fell when she saw the pain in his eyes.

"Please don't be dishonest with me. I don't like dishonest people, Maki-san," he stated before he brought his gaze back up to her face, "please tell me that you weren't under a vampire's spell the other night. Vampires are evil creatures who do not deserve to live on this earth alongside us," he added rather angrily as Maki's eyes widened at that anger. Never had she seen Winner so serious about anything. Perhaps he was more of a vampire hunter than she had given him credit for.

"Winner…I –" she began before she felt the touch of small fingers on her back. Her mind suddenly went blank and what she had meant to say got caught in her throat.

* * *

"Maki, I was worried when Karin didn't come home with you," a soft voice murmured as Winner looked down at the little girl with silver curls standing next to Maki, "you know it isn't safe for you to be out at night with that manic monster on the loose,"

"Who are you? And what did you say about a manic monster?" Winner asked as Anju looked up at him with lifeless eyes before she gave him a short curtsy.

"I am Karin's younger sister, Anju. Maki was attacked by someone the other night on false pretenses," Anju replied as she removed her hand from Maki's back to grasp the older girl's hand in her own, "Until the man is brought to justice she needs to remain with us where she can be protected,"

"Surely my grandfather and I can protect her from whatever man you speak of better than you and your sister can," Winner protested but lost his confidence when Anju sent him an impatient glance.

"Your grandfather was her attacker, and we will not let Maki be in such danger again," she persisted before lightly tugging on Maki's hand, "now we must get home, the sun has already set," she added as Maki followed mutely behind her when she steered her around to walk in the opposite direction.

"But my grandfather could not be Maki's attacker! He said a vampire had attacked her and that he was merely protecting her soul!" Winner fought back.

"Perhaps you should get your facts straight before you choose a side to protect," Anju answered icily while casting a sideways glance over her shoulder at him. Maki didn't say a word as the little girl led her away, a gaping Winner standing in the distance.

* * *

_A/N: So I know that's a weird way to end this chapter, but it's gotten a lot longer than expected and I knew I had to end it somewhere or it'd turn into a novel by itself! Let me know what you guys think and hopefully I'll get the next installment out soon! Until next time! _


	6. Fighting with a vampire

_A/N: I'm really sorry this chapter took so long! I lost my inspiration and direction for this story, hence the lengthy time without an update, but I have a new direction in sight! I hope to be updating this story a lot more! =D And as always, thank you all for reading / reviewing this piece! I'm so taken with this pairing! XD_

_P.S. This chapter has a risk-e scene in it towards the end. If it seems a bit inappropriate for the T rating, please tell me and I'll change it! Thanks! _

* * *

"What were you _thinking_ Anju?" Carrera questioned feverishly as her daughter remained diligently silent, "had Sinclair even been the _least_ bit suspicious of his grandson and stayed to watch over him, he would have been able to sense and possibly kill you tonight," she scolded icily, but couldn't hide the tears that threatened to spill at the mere thought of her youngest daughter's death at the hands of a vampire slayer.

"I know, but I had to silence her. Maki was about to..." Anju's soft voice suddenly trailed of.

"About to what, darling?" Henry prompted her gently.

"She was about to leave with Sinclair's grandson. She wasn't thinking straight because she was blinded by infatuation. Sinclair was bound to recognize her then, especially when – ," Anju replied levelly, but Carrera could see straight through her daughter's lie.

She was covering up the truth to protect Karin's friend. Perhaps she was frightened that they would erase Maki's memories and Karin would lose her forever. While it was valiant of Anju to do such a thing for Karin's sake, she also needed to do what was best for her family's safety as well.

"Hm, having an affectionate attachment to Sinclair's grandson definitely makes Maki's stay with us a bit more complicated," Henry murmured as he rested his chin in his palm. Carrera spared her husband a quick glance before turning to look at the brainwashed Maki standing before them.

Her green eyes were glazed over while her limp limbs barely kept her upright. Had she not been breathing, her appearance would have been easily comparable to a pretty corpse standing in their common room.

"We will need to discuss this further with Karin and Maki. Send her up to Ren's room for now, and make sure he isn't already up there," she instructed Anju and Henry. They nodded in return before they led Maki carefully up the staircase, mindful to be as gentle as possible so not to break the trance that she was under.

Carrera watched them go until they made it to the top of the staircase. She couldn't help but notice how painfully far Anju was coming along in her vampire development. She had far exceeded any and all of Ren's abilities when he had been her age. Anju was acting like a true vampire, through and through.

It wouldn't be long before a male vampire would come calling for her and she'd have to leave to start her own family. The thought squeezed at Carrera's heart painfully as she rolled her shoulders to ease the discomfort that had arisen there.

Carrera had worried over Ren in a similar way when he had fully transformed, but after seeing how _he_ acted around women she knew he'd be around for at least a couple more centuries.

As if summoned by her thoughts, Ren walked through the door just as the sun had begun to set. His head was bowed and the layers of black clothing wrapped around his body steamed as he let his large black trench coat fall to the floor. He shut the door behind him and didn't look Carrera in the eye as he sluggishly shuffled himself towards the cellar.

"What were you doing out while the sun was still up? You look like death itself," Calera scoffed and folded her arms over her chest while waiting for an explanation.

"I was watching over Karin's friend," Ren admitted weakly after a pause as he bowed his head so that the rim of his black hat partially covered his face, "I wanted to make sure she...had a good day,"

"To make sure she had a good _day_?" Carrera asked back in obvious surprise, "who are you, and what have you done with my son?" she added with a teasing smirk before it fell slightly when she noticed the burn marks that charred her son's beautiful face. Based on how deep the burns looked, she wouldn't be surprised if his entire body was engulfed in similar burns.

"You do look dreadful," she breathed fearfully before she hurried past him and rushed down to the cellar. Luckily she and Henry had stocked up on fresh blood the night before. She grabbed a bottle of Liars blood and hurried back to her son's side with her vampire speed. She gently pushed him onto the couch, mindful of his burns, and uncorked the bottle.

"Now I know you don't like bottled blood, but it's the best that we've got,"

"I don't care if it had fallen on the floor and I was reduced to sucking it up with a straw," he replied hungrily as he snatched the bottle from her hands and chugged down its contents. He was drinking so feverishly that drops of blood were pouring out of his mouth, and she saw him winch whenever they slid over the burn marks scattered across his face. He drank until the bottle was empty, and made sure to lick every last drop until the bottle was clean.

Carrera watched in relief as Ren's skin steadily began to mend itself afterward. Scabs formed over the burns before they flaked off, exposing a fresh layer of porcelain skin underneath. Although she hated that her son was practically shedding his skin all over her freshly cleaned floor, she was happy that he was still alive.

"You should have asked Anju or Karin to keep an eye on Maki if you were so worried about her. _You_ need to stay out of the sun. You could have died from even a minute's exposure to its rays. I have no idea how you even survived today," she stated with narrowed eyes, "you need to promise me that you won't do such a crazy thing ever again. If you do, so help me, I'll chain you inside of your coffin for twenty years like I did to Elda," she threatened hotly. Ren gave her a look of horror before he let out a curt laugh.

"Alright. I promise not to go out into the sun again without proper protection," he answered.

"No, I need a promise that you will not go back out into the sun again, ever," Carrera insisted sternly.

"Fine," he answered hesitantly. She let out another breath of relief before she helped him off the couch. His limbs shook from his weakened state, but his strength began returning with every step as she led him towards the staircase.

"You'll need to get cleaned up. I'll leave a note for Karin to vacuum the floor in the morning," Carrera stated, and helped Ren up the stairs until he was able to walk freely on his own.

"You better sleep through the day tomorrow too," she commanded with a pointed look, "and while I know that you're an adult now, and hardly care what your mother has to say, I need you to take me seriously this once," she added. All Ren could do was nod before they successfully made it up the stairs.

"I'll be fine," he assured her, and shoed her away with a slight grimace when she appeared before the bathroom door to open it for him.

"Just trying to help," Carrera muttered angrily as she walked away, "what does a mother have to do to get a little appreciation around here?" she grumbled while stomping her way down the stairs. As she made it to the bottom of the steps she was slightly surprised to see Elda appear before her.

"Elda?" she blinked in surprise as her mother-in-law scowled at her before she spoke,

"Come along with me, Carrera," she offered with a hiss, "we will find this vampire hunter tonight. Once we are rid of him we won't need to put our family in jeopardy any longer,"

"While I agree with you on the fact that we have to get rid of the vampire hunter, we also can't kill any humans while we're living here," Carrera replied sternly, "the vampire hunter's death will surely draw attention to the authorities. We will have to move away, and Karin will lose her friends, and Usui. Her young heart will never be able to survive such a loss,"

"Then erase her memory!" Elda answered hotly, "erase enough of it that she won't even recall the friends that she's made here,"

"Impossible. The memories of all of her friends, especially Usui's, are too twisted in Karin's own memory that such a removal could injure her brain to an unfixable state,"

"Damn," Elda cursed, "then what do you suggest?"

"We wait," Carrera replied levelly, "eventually the vampire hunter will think what he saw was purely a hallucination and leave for better hunting grounds,"

"You always assume that hiding is the best answer," Elda scoffed, "perhaps that's how you've all lasted so long in this time. You merely cower at the sight of danger instead of facing it head on,"

"Pick on me all you want, Elda," Carrera smirked, "I will not endanger my family merely because you insult my strategies of survival in a world where humans greatly outnumber us,"

"Whatever," Elda muttered before she crossed her arms over her chest, "I don't care how you handle the situation. House the human girl if you really want to, and further endanger your chances of remaining hidden. Do you really think her parents will allow her to stay here for an extended period of time without question?"

"Already covered," Carrera smiled triumphantly, "Anju has molded their frame of mind and convinced them that Maki is staying with Karin while she house sits after school because the rest of us are out of town for the next week and a half,"

"Do you really believe a vampire hunter will leave a potentially vampire infested location in a week?" Elda asked back, unconvinced. Carrera scowled at her mother-in-law before she gave her a pointed look.

"Do you have something better in mind?" Carrera asked back with a raised brow, "and no, killing him outright doesn't count," she added as Elda snapped her fingers and clicked her tongue in disappointment.

"Vampire Hunters only cause trouble," Elda mumbled, "couldn't we bend your measly rules just this once? We'll be clean about it, and bury his body somewhere far away. If you want to really wipe him off the map we could erase the memory of him from all of his loved ones too,"

"Impossible," Carrera waved off, "his children and grandchildren would have too many memories of him to be able to erase him cleanly. Not to mention the hefty task of erasing the memories of every person who's ever seen him while he was here, or expect him back from wherever he came from,"

"You think far too much for your own good," Elda muttered before she let out a long sigh, "fine, if killing him is off the table, then I suggest we box him up and ship him across the country. Much like I used to do to you when you'd displease me. It always left me with a certain sense of satisfaction to watch your chained coffin floating off to sea," Elda laughed at the last bit before winking at her daughter-in-law when she saw the fire in her eyes.

"Trips of which I despised with every fiber of my being," Carrera hissed, "and no, that would be similar to killing him, except once he was freed he could simply come back and bring some vampire hunting friends along with him,"

"True, _if_ he survived the journey," Elda offered before she shrugged her shoulders when Carrera merely rose an unappeased brow, "if you don't like my ideas, then my wrists are tied,"

"There must be some type of ransom we could use against him. Threaten a loved one or close friend," Carrera muttered, more to herself than to Elda, but the older vampire overheard her and squealed in delight.

"Oh! Such a conniving and manipulative scheme! I didn't think you had it in you, Carrera," she purred before letting out a giggle when Carrera shot her a dark look.

"Don't get used to it. While I'll do anything for the protection of my family, I will not stoop to your level and control others with blood for your sick enjoyment," Carrera scowled while sticking her nose slightly up in the air.

"Say whatever makes you feel better, Carrera," Elda shrugged again with a smile, "I know this darker side to you now, and I'll definitely use it to my advantage when the time comes," she promised with a devilish grin.

Carrera merely ignored her and proceeded to think seriously on what could be done about the vampire hunter. Not knowing where he came from, or where his exact location was made things much harder. For all she knew he could have already zeroed in on their location, and was simply waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

"We should rest for now. The sun hasn't fully set yet," Elda noted as she gazed at the patch of light that had pushed through one of the curtains. Carrera nodded, and watched as her mother-in-law made her way back down the cellar while covering a wide yawn with one dainty hand.

She proceeded to wait for Henry before she retired for the rest of the day as well. Anju wanted to wait for Karin's return from her human's place, and decided to stay up. While she was happy that Anju volunteered to wait for Karin, Carrera couldn't understand where her daughter got her stamina from.

Being awake during the day was tiresome indeed.

* * *

Maki awoke in Ren's room, sluggishly opening her eyes as she tried to piece through the fuzzy recollections of where she had been before. She vaguely remembered talking to Winner, but all she could visualize were them standing close to one another. Winner's mouth was moving, but no words were coming out. She could feel her mouth moving too, but she couldn't remember what she had said.

"It's like my memory was erased or something," she murmured softly to herself. She rested her hand atop her forehead for a moment as she stared at Ren's blank ceiling. Maki continued to stare at the inexpressive wall above as she contemplated about the oddly empty living space. The room literally was empty, except for a few furniture pieces that were just as plain and ordinary as the room itself.

There were no posters or calendars, or even a piece of trash in the room. Nothing that could hint to any information on who Ren was as a person. The observation unnerved her slightly as she tried to categorize Ren, but her thoughts came up blank. How could a person really be so hollow?

She shut her forest green eyes before they opened slowly and she felt Ren's bite marks on her wrist begin to tingle. She suddenly had the desire to be near him again. She wanted to look into his golden eyes, and to talk to him too. She wanted to really get to know him, and the thought surprised her a little.

She hadn't felt this invested in a guy since Winner had first come to their school. Could Ren be...? Could she really be feeling...? Maki refused to finish her own questions, for fear that her answer to both of them would be yes.

Not wanting to think any further on the matter of Ren, Maki slowly rose from the bed before she let out a surprised cry when Anju suddenly appeared before her.

"Maki," she greeted levelly, "we must talk," she added while she stared at her intently.

"Um...sure," Maki replied with a nervous laugh, "what about?"

"What happened with the vampire hunter's grandson earlier," she replied impassively, "Grandmother, Mother, Father, and Ren will all be sleeping for a couple more hours. Karin is also out. She will be at her human's home for the next couple of hours as well. This is the perfect time to plan what we will say to all of them tonight,"

"Tonight? What's happening tonight?" Maki asked back with a clueless blink.

"We're going to decide on whether or not to erase your memory of any and all events that have any of my family members in them," Anju answered.

"Erase my memory? If you're worried about me spilling, I won't tell anyone that you're all vampires, I swear! I could never go behind my best friend's back and put her or her family in danger!" Maki proclaimed hotly. Anju merely shook her silvery head slightly before she glanced at the dark curtains behind Maki.

"It isn't that simple," Anju began slowly, "the vampire hunter that attacked you before will surely be back for you and Ren. We must protect you, and having you know what's going on would be beneficial to us for the ease of such a task. On the other hand, it will be hard for you to remain here for very long. I've brainwashed your parents into thinking that you are house sitting with Karin for the next week and a half but I don't know if that will be enough time," she explained.

"I see," Maki murmured, "but if you did erase my memory...would I not remember any of you, even Karin?"

"Yes," Anju answered solemnly, "not to mention the possible risks such a tricky erase could do to your mind,"

"What kind of risks?" Maki asked back fearfully.

"You could end up forgetting your family and friends, where you are, or even _who_ you are if it isn't done properly," Anju replied. Maki visibly gulped as she searched Anju's face for any clues on how likely it was that Maki _would_ be forced to forget them all.

Anju seemed very powerful from what little time Maki had actually been with her, and any ally would prove useful for her case at this point. While Maki did understand that it would be safer for the Maaka family if she forgot about them, she couldn't help but selfishly want to cling to them too.

"I'm here because I want you to keep your memory of us," Anju clarified, as if reading her mind. Maki blinked in surprise before a ghost of a smile appeared across Anju's face.

"I can read minds. It's become one of my many awakened vampire abilities," Anju informed her softly.

"Oh," Maki replied lamely, not knowing what else to say, "that's cool," she added suddenly, figuring Anju would have read her mind anyway, so why not get her thoughts out on the table? The vampiress gave her a reassuring smile before she came forward to place a dainty hand atop hers.

"Do not fret too much," she assured her levelly, "my family are not the savage and frightful beasts that the mass media have made them out to be. With reason, I'm sure they will come around. Especially when they find out that Ren has bitten you," she added.

Maki's eyes widened at that before her face reddened considerably in a blush.

"Y – You know about that?" she asked bashfully as Anju withdrew her hand to sit next to her atop Ren's bed.

"I can read minds, remember?" she reminded her, "and I had a suspicion that it would happen sooner or later, given that you knew we were vampires and still stuck around. I do hope that Ren was accommodating and well behaved when it happened,"

"Well, it was me who pushed him to bite me," Maki replied with an awkward giggle before her eyes widened when she saw Anju's surprised expression, "it's not what it sounds like! He came home injured and could barely stand. When I realized that he needed blood desperately I offered mine,"

"You are truly kind," Anju observed before she glanced around Maki's neck, "where has he bitten you?"

"Here," Maki replied as she moved the large green bracelet to show her the bite marks. Anju gazed at them before she gently reached out to touch them, but hurriedly withdrew her fingers when Maki let out a painful hiss.

Her wrist had pulsed like it had when Winner had grabbed her, and she quickly covered the mark with her bracelet again as she tried to recover from the burning sensation that was clawing at her wrist.

"Forgive me," Anju apologized softly, "I didn't realize that it was still a fresh would. Didn't Ren bite you two days ago?" she asked as Maki nodded her head.

"It was the night after you and your family left me alone in the mansion," Maki replied as Anju's eyes widened again before they softened and she glanced away slightly.

"I'm sorry that my family and I put you in such danger," she murmured sweetly as Maki gazed at the young woman admiringly before she shut her eyes and smiled.

"I don't blame you or your family," she assured her, and Anju gazed back at her in surprise, "there was no way any of you could have known that something like that would happen. Besides, it's not like he forced himself on me, I willfully offered my blood. He was so unwilling at first that I even had to threaten to bite my own wrist to get him to agree to it," she added with a hearty laugh.

Anju observed her silently before she offered her a small smile.

"How can we ever thank you? Not only have you been so kind to Karin, but you put your own life in danger to help my big brother," Anju noted solemnly as Maki smiled back at her.

"All I want is to continue to spend time with you all," Maki replied honestly, "with being a single child, I've hardly ever had this much fun!" she added happily as Anju stared at her in surprise before she let out a small giggle that grew into soft laughter.

"Forgive me, Maki-san," Anju smiled once her laughter began to die down, "we've been raised to think that humans despise the very ground we walk on, so to actually meet one that thinks it's _fun_ to be around a family of vampires is quite amusing," she explained as best she could while wiping at the tears that had formed in her eyes.

Maki surveyed her in surprise before it softened as she smiled back at the little vampiress. When Anju was able to pull herself together she gave Maki a small reassuring smile.

"I believe your words alone will be strong enough to convince my family to keep your memory," Anju stated as Maki blinked in surprise, "you sound genuine enough, and your mind isn't trying to hide anything from me. Both show how truly accepting you are of the situation, and how passionate you are to remain here with us," she added with another smile.

Maki could only blush slightly at her words. She wasn't sure, but she figured that Anju wasn't one to smile too often, and yet she had seen the little girl smile so much. She couldn't help but feel humbled that Anju would be so passionate about keeping her in the house, and get along with her so well.

"You'll need time to rest before my parents awaken. I'll let you sleep, and return when everyone is back," Anju stated as she jumped off the bed and disappeared into the wooden floor. Maki let out a distressed cry at the girl's sudden disappearance before she sighed at the girl's rather eccentric behavior.

Maki figured that she should take Anju's advice, and take a quick nap before she had to face the Maaka family. She fell back onto Ren's bed as she stared up at his ceiling. She wanted to shut her eyes and sleep, but for the oddest reason she didn't feel tired. Her mind was racing with possible scenarios of the night's events, not to mention her underlying fear of it being the last night she'd even remember the Maaka family.

Her body got hot as her fears escalated to the point that she had to get out of the bed. She shook her head slightly before she slapped her cheeks lightly. She needed to wash her face, then maybe she'd be able to clear her thoughts and sleep.

Nodding to herself, Maki left her room in search of the bathroom. All she needed to do was splash her face with a little cold water, and then she'd be fine. Glancing at all the similar looking doors in the long hallway, Maki worried over which one led to the bathroom. She hadn't thought to ask anybody while she had stayed there, and had always used the downstairs bathroom.

She walked down the empty hallway before she stopped at the nearest door to Ren's room. She glanced at it suspiciously before she reluctantly latched her hand onto the doorknob and slowly turned it. Maki was about to push the door open when it swung open on its own, and she accidentally stumbled forward.

Before she could see who had opened the door on her, Maki's head came into contact with a bare chest as her hands rested against toned abs while she struggled to right herself. A hot blush covered her cheeks as she hurriedly pulled away, only to blush harder when she realized that the pale broad chest in front of her belonged to Ren. A white towel hung loosely around his hips as he gazed down at her with a slight smirk.

His golden eyes captured her forest green ones as her mouth fell open in surprise. He raised a silvery brow in question before she put a good distance between their bodies. Her blush heightened when she noted that her fingers were a bit wet from the water that had been resting atop his chest from his shower. He hadn't even fully dried off yet!

"I – I'm sorry!" she hurriedly apologized as she quickly adverted her eyes out of respect for his privacy, "I didn't realize you were in the bathroom!" she added in an embarrassed squeak as she tried her hardest to keep from gazing back at his bare chest.

"Heh, you don't need to look away if you don't want to," Ren replied suggestively as she heard the sound of a towel feverishly ruffling through his hair. She struggled to keep her eyes on anything but him as she wondered if he had removed the towel hung around his waist to dry off his hair. Maki's eyes widened at the thought as she awkwardly tried to step away from him.

"I'll just go back to your room until you've dressed!" she insisted with a petty laugh before she let out another squeak of embarrassment when he suddenly appeared in front of her.

"What's wrong? Haven't you seen a half-naked guy before?" he teased as he bent his head slightly so he could look into her eyes. His left arm rested against the wall as he casually laid his weight against it while partially blocking her escape to his room. The towel Maki had wondered about was thankfully still hung around his waist as he sent her a knowing smirk when he followed her gaze.

"O – Of course I have! But they at least had a bathing suit on!" Maki answered hotly as she hurriedly turned around so that she wouldn't be inclined to keep staring at him. He was already good looking when he was fully clothed. Almost naked, he was flat out irresistible.

"This isn't much different," he assured her, and Maki could practically hear the gentle purr in his voice, "if you don't want to keep staring, I'll happily go and put some clothes on. Of course, I wouldn't be opposed to the prior option either," he added in a silky tone as Maki's face reddened once more.

Without thinking she whirled around and gave him an agitated shove.

"Just go put some clothes on already!" she insisted furiously before she let out a light gasp when he gently took hold of her wrist. Her bitten wrist. Surprisingly it didn't pulse or burn when he pushed the bracelet out of the way to study it.

"Wow," Maki murmured without thinking, and blushed when Ren looked back at her with a smirk, obviously misinterpreting what she had meant, "that's the first time your bite marks haven't burned or pulsed when someone touched it," she clarified with a short laugh.

Ren didn't reply at first, he merely returned his golden gaze to her wrist dismissively as he gently ran his forefingers along the twin marks. Maki watched in awe as the vampire admired it like he were admiring a work of art.

"I've never bitten someone outside of my blood preference before," he informed her softly as he continued to eye the marking, "so I wasn't sure how my bite would affect you,"

"What is your blood preference?" Maki asked, though laughed slightly when she noted his rather apprehensive expression, "you don't have to tell me if you don't want to,"

"My preference is stress," he replied before he returned his gaze to her wrist while inclining his head to look at it from a slightly different angle, "whenever I sense stress boiling in someone's blood, my body pulses in hunger for it,"

Maki's mind clicked at that as she envisioned the woman he had been staring at when they had gone to Julian's. It suddenly made sense why he had seemed so preoccupied with her then. She had been his blood preference, and by the look of her, she had been severely overworked and stressed. _The ideal meal_, she assumed.

"What happens when you suck blood from those within your preference type?" Maki asked back curiously before shivering slightly when he gripped the bottom of her wrist to give the bite marks one last look before letting her go completely. For the strangest reason, it felt like he had suddenly disappeared altogether. While his body was still there in the hallway, it felt like his mind was somewhere else entirely.

Without a word, Ren turned around and began walking towards his room.

"Ren?" Maki called after him before she hurriedly followed him into his room. He remained mute as she spotted him disappear behind the closet door. Maki blinked in surprise at his odd behavior, but waited for him by the doorway. She wouldn't follow him in if he didn't want to be followed.

The sound of rustling clothes resounded behind the door before the towel Ren had had around his waist was flung onto the floor, and right into Maki's line of vision. Maki blushed at the idea that Ren was naked behind the closet door, and adverted her eyes as she whistled a random tune to herself awkwardly.

A moment later Ren came out from behind the door, thankfully clothed, as he approached her with a plastered on smile.

"I assumed that you weren't too thrilled with me being naked anymore, so I figured I'd change into something more conservative," he informed her as Maki smiled slightly. He had put on a black t-shirt that hugged his built chest snuggly, and a pair of matching black dress pants.

While black typically washed out a pale complexion, it looked surprisingly good on Ren. His skin seemed to glow against the darkness of the outfit, expressing rather than repressing his lightly colored features. Even his eyes appeared brighter than usual against the dark contrast.

"Don't you ever get tired of wearing black?" Maki asked absentmindedly, noting that every time she had seen him he had always been wearing something black.

"I prefer the color," Ren shrugged in response before a devilish smile tugged at his lips, "Why? Would you rather I take it off? That can be arranged," he suggested as Maki blushed and hurriedly shook her head.

"Would you mind if I asked _you_ a question?" Ren posed as he neared her. Maki eyed him suspiciously before she reluctantly nodded, worried by his tone what he had in mind. He bent so that his hands rested on either side of her head against the wall while he cornered her on the doorframe until their lips were mere inches apart.

"Are you a virgin?" he practically purred against her skin as Maki's blood ran cold. Her expression cleared for a moment before her anger boiled over and she tightly shut her eyes. She sensed him pull back slightly at her sudden change in attitude before she shoved him the rest of the way off of her.

"Why does that matter to you?" she bit back angrily as she pushed herself off of the doorframe to glare at him hotly, "I've heard what you do to your 'meals.' You like to seduce them before you feed from them! Is that what I am to you? Another meal that you can have your way with? Well, I'm sorry to burst your bubble, but I'm not like that!" she added firmly.

"It was just a question," Ren growled back as Maki rested her hands on her slim hips while she narrowed her eyes.

"Why do you need to know? Were you hoping to add me to your endless list of conquered women?" she questioned with an annoyed, quivering brow.

"Hardly," he scoffed as he crossed his arms over his chest defensively, "you're not my type, remember?"

"I seemed to be a second ago," Maki reminded him with narrowed eyes. Ren's eyes narrowed back at her tone before he took a step closer once more.

"I had only meant to tease you," he clarified, "I noticed how flustered you were by my flirting, so I figured I'd play along," he added with the slight clench of his jaw.

"You'd play along for how long? Until we slept together?" Maki asked, and noted Ren's slight flush at her bluntness.

"I wouldn't have let it go that far," he muttered, "there's only so much I can fake," he added. Maki stared at him in shock as her heart almost stopped in her chest. While she was fuming over the idea of Ren toying with her, hearing that he had no interest in her at all hurt far worse than she thought it would.

She should have expected this, coming from him. She knew who he was, what he was capable of. She had even promised Anju that she would do something horrific to him after learning what he did with his "meals."

Her expression must have been very notable, because Maki saw Ren wince slightly before he adverted his eyes altogether.

"Only so much you can fake, huh?" Maki baited him darkly before she lowered her gaze, "well, you won't have to worry about that for very much longer. I'm leaving,"

"Leaving? You can't, not with Sinclair still out on the hunt for us! That's suicide!" Ren growled hotly as he returned his gaze back to her face.

"I'd rather risk my chances with him than stay here another minute with you!" Maki seethed back, and bit her lip angrily when her voice cracked as a tear escaped down her cheek. She saw Ren's shoulders slump, but she raised her hand to stop him when he took another step towards her.

"I can't believe I actually liked you," Maki mumbled darkly with the shake of her head before she turned on her heel and made her way to the door. Ren didn't stop her.

On her way down the stairs she spotted Anju, and noted the vampiress' slightly worried expression. Instead of voicing her feelings, she recited them in her mind instead. She was sure Anju was already reading her thoughts anyway.

_I can't stay here. I'm sorry_, she thought, and noted Anju's saddened expression, but she didn't try to talk Maki out of leaving.

"I'll keep some of my bats around your house," she assured her softly, "we can at least come to your aid if Sinclair tries anything," she added, and all Maki could do was nod.

_At least we won't need to fight to keep my memory_, Maki thought with a saddened smile. Anju stared at her in surprise before she slowly nodded her head in return. Maki gave the vampiress one last look before she walked over and flung open the mansion doors.

Mindful of the sun's rays, Maki made sure to keep Anju's form in the shadows while she left. She softly shut the doors behind her before she faced the sunset. The sounds of bat cries echoed around her as Maki turned her face upward to spot three bats circling above her.

Maki smiled at the little trio before she made her way down the large hill, and back into town.

* * *

_A/N: So, massive turn of events right? I figured adding in a little controversy between Ren and Maki would spice up the story a bit ;) But no worries Ren X Maki fans! The couple isn't doomed! It's deemed a Ren X Maki fanfic for a reason! _

_P.S. I'm a little confused about Carrera's name. I've seen it spelled Calera, Carrera, and Callera in both the anime translation and manga, but I have no idea which name is the real one! . if you all don't mind, I'd like to stick with Carrera for spell check sake, but if anyone is really bothered by that please tell me and I'll change it right away! _


	7. Saved by a vampire

A/N: I'm terribly sorry about the long wait everyone! I've been so busy that I lost track of time! Thankfully I got this little pearl of a chapter written out though! Hope you enjoy it! ^-^

* * *

Maki stormed her way past the masses of people that had quickly become the bustling night life of the city. She refused to look up at anyone as she passed, too angry and fearful of what emotions they might accidentally see plastered on her face.

She gently worried her lower lip between her teeth as she pumped her arms back and forth to quicken her pace. She just needed to get home. If her parents asked why she had come back, she'd simply say that she didn't want to talk about it. Her parents respected her enough to allow her a little privacy when it came to her personal life.

"Maki!" Karin's sing song voice called out to her from behind. Maki froze at the sound of her best friend's voice before she lowered her head so her bangs shadowed her eyes from view. Maki heard the sound of twin footsteps, and realized that Karin wasn't alone. Sure enough, Usui was faithfully at Karin's side when they came into Maki's line of vision.

Karin bounced to her side before she quickly dipped her head to try and sneak a peek at Maki's face, "Is everything OK, Maki?"

"Everything's fine," Maki assured her flatly. Maki saw Usui's face falter slightly at her tone, and he looked like he was about to say something, but he remained silent and observed her somberly instead. Thankfully Karin bought it and smiled at her before she linked her arm around Maki's.

"That's good! Now, let's go back to my house! We can take a bath together and I'll tell you all the gossip between Usui and I! You always like hearing about that!" she laughed happily as Usui let out an embarrassed grunt while his face grew steadily redder. Karin tried to tug Maki back towards the direction of the Maaka mansion, but faltered when Maki didn't budge.

"That sounds like fun, but I – I think I'm just going to go home tonight, Karin," Maki replied softly as she gently pulled her arm out from Karin's grip, "I'll see you at school," she added as she continued on her way. Karin didn't argue, but Maki knew that she desperately wanted to stop her.

Karin might not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but she had always been able to sense Maki's mood flawlessly, even when she tried to hide it from view.

"Maki..." she heard her friend murmur worriedly after her. It was only when Maki thought Karin had left that she relaxed. Only to jump out of her skin a second later when Karin's body suddenly appeared before her, and she nearly collided with Maki.

Maki shrieked in surprise and rapidly gasped for air as she tried to collect her barrings. Karin merely grinned cheekily at her while Usui gave her an apologetic smile. The taller teenage boy stood a few feet away from Karin, but he had somehow been able to get in front of Maki too.

How had they been able to do that? Maki hadn't even heard their footsteps!

"Let's walk to your house together!" Karin chirped as she bounced happily at the idea.

"Yeah, it'll be fun," Usui assured her kindly. Maki let out a defeated breath before she reluctantly agreed. It would be smarter to have at least someone walking with her, especially when the sun was about to set.

Karin linked arms with both Usui and Maki as she happily began to hum while they walked in unison together. Maki blushed slightly at her energetic behavior, but smiled nonetheless. Karin always seemed to brighten up any situation without fail. Maki only wished that she could be honest to her about Ren, and what had transpired between them.

But even as the admission tickled at the back of her lips, Maki held back. Even though Karin was her best friend, she still worried that Karin would hold her actions against her. She felt that Karin might think Maki had betrayed her for giving in to her brother and allowing him to bite her. Would she resent her for it? Would she push her away?

Sure, Anju hadn't seemed fazed by Maki's admission, but she had already known about it. Karin had no idea...

"Maki?" Karin murmured as Maki blinked out of her thoughts and gazed at her best friend expectedly.

"Yeah?" she asked back when Karin merely stared at her in silence.

"Something _is_ bothering you," Karin pressed before she tightened her hold on Maki's arm. Karin's hand came dangerously close to Ren's bite marks that Maki held her breath and stiffened, already anticipating the pain that was bound to come.

"Maki?" Karin gasped in surprise as she quickly removed her arm like Maki's skin had burned her, "are you hurt? Did _I_ hurt you?" she questioned hurriedly as she gapped helplessly at Maki's arm. Maki held the arm against her chest defensively but shook her head.

"No, my skin is just a little tender..." she replied back softly. Maki noted Usui's eyes widen at her words, but again he remained silent by Karin's side. Did he suspect that she was bitten? Did he know? Suddenly Maki's head was filled with stressed thoughts of Usui spilling everything to Karin that she broke out into a cold sweat.

"Maki! You're sweating! Do you need water, are you going to faint?" Karin pestered her further as she spastically looked around like the answer to her question would be written on some unforeseen sign.

"N – No! I'm fine! I'm just a little sweaty, that's all!" Maki laughed awkwardly as she tried to both comfort her friend and change the subject. Karin seemed less than appeased, but she at least stopped looking around like the city was on fire. Maki let out an inward sigh at how quickly her mood had escalated in such a short time.

"Hey Karin, look! There's that little charm shop you wanted to check out last night!" Usui stated suddenly, catching the vampiress off guard. Karin's eyes widened to the size of saucers as she spotted the brightly lit and very small pink shop with its rounded doors simply beckoning all that passed by to come inside.

"Do you mind if we go in?" Karin asked the two excitedly. Maki smiled before she nodded for her to go ahead, and Usui ushered his girlfriend inside. Maki held back, but was surprised to see Usui pause as well. He smiled at Karin happily from outside as she bounded into the shop like a child with a sweet tooth in a candy store.

When Karin seemed to forget them altogether, too lost in all the adorable merchandise around her, Usui turned to glance at Maki.

"One of the Maaka family members bit you, didn't they?" he asked her flat out. Maki gaped in surprise at his bluntness, but gazed back at him apprehensively. He seemed to take her silence as a wordless confession and held her forest green eyes in his rather terrifying glare.

He had told her, among other students in their class, that he was never purposely glaring at them. His eyes were simply set that way, and he had no control over it. Either way, Maki couldn't suppress the fearful shiver that ran down her body at the intensity of his stare.

"My skin was tender once, too," he began, his words catching Maki's immediate interest as she stood straighter and studied his face as he continued, "after Karin bit me the first time. She had needed blood to stay alive, and I supplied her with mine,"

Maki's eyes widened at his words as she listened intently to what he said next.

"After that day, anyone who tried to touch my neck where she had bitten me brought on a fierce burning sensation. I soon found out that Karin was the only one who could touch that area without it hurting," Usui explained as he continued to hold Maki in his unintentionally dark gaze.

"What did you do?" she couldn't refrain herself from asking. A rather sad smile graced his features as he glanced at the ground for a moment before he returned his eyes to her face.

"I confronted Karin's family about it," he replied, and all Maki could do was stare at him in surprise and awe at his bravery. As if able to read her face easily, he smirked before he acknowledged her wordless compliment with a faint nod.

"What did they say?" Maki asked insistently.

"No one had ever heard of such an occurrence before," Usui shrugged, "they said that many vampires in these modern times never had such a relationship with a human before. They assumed that maybe because we were so close, Karin's bite had a certain power over me. Or perhaps that because she was a blood generator rather than a blood sucker, her bite might have different affects on humans as well,"

"Do you believe that?" Maki asked.

"I did at first," Usui admitted, "but Elda, Karin's grandmother, pulled me aside and told me something else entirely. She said that Karin might have 'marked' me as hers,"

"Marked you?" Maki questioned.

"Yes. Elda said that in her time vampires liked to mark what humans were theirs to ward off other vampires from feasting on or killing them. But there were a few cases where a vampire would mark a human, and the bite inflicted on the human's flesh would become sensitive to the touch of anyone but the vampire that had bitten them. A far stronger 'mark' if you will,"

"Why are you telling me this?" Maki asked back feverishly, suddenly finding that Usui's words were hitting far closer to home than she would have liked. Suddenly, she didn't feel like talking about vampires or marks any longer.

"Because I think you've been marked, like I was," Usui replied sternly, his voice demanding her attention. Maki shut her mouth obediently at his rather harsh tone, and he relaxed slightly before softly murmuring an apology.

"I don't want to scare you," he assured her bashfully, "I just want to help. I felt lost and alone when it happened to me, so I can only imagine how you feel,"

"But how do you know if I was even bitten? I could have simply burned my skin on the stove," Maki replied swiftly, hoping to cast some doubt in Usui's confident eyes. But he didn't buy it. Instead, he merely smiled at her.

"Show me the burn then," he urged gently. Maki blushed slightly at having her own bluff thrown back at her before she hastily looked away.

"Why should I? I don't need to prove anything to you," she snapped back stubbornly. Usui's eyes softened slightly at her harsh words, but he didn't seem to take them to heart.

"That's true, you _don't_ need to prove anything to me," he agreed with a carefree shrug, "I just wanted to offer my support, given that I'm another human you can talk to about vampires, if you need to," he added. Maki blushed again at his offer.

She couldn't deny that she felt a sort of kinship to Usui after he admitted to having similar symptoms after getting bit by a vampire. It wasn't like being bitten by a vampire was a common occurrence that she could just talk to anyone about.

"I'll keep that in mind," Maki muttered, still too proud to thank him for his offer. Usui seemed fine with her answer as a gentle smile softened his rather harsh features.

"That's all I ask," he replied before he glanced into the shop, his eyes shining brightly when he caught sight of Karin, "we should probably go get Karin before she decides to blow her entire week's pay check in that store," he added. Maki nodded and followed Usui into the shop.

Karin barely batted an eye at them as she cooed over a phone charm she found that looked surprisingly similar to the bats that Anju had sent to watch over Maki. Maki stiffened at the thought as she gazed out of the shop, and let out a breath when she spotted the bat trio hanging upside down from one of the thin silver beams situated over the store window.

For some reason, knowing that Anju was looking out for her eased Maki's fidgety spirits. It felt nice to know that she mattered so much to the little vampiress.

"Look, Maki! Isn't this one adorable?" Karin giggled in glee as she held out a bright pink bow charm for Maki to see. Maki nodded her approval at the charm before Karin begged for Usui's approval. He wasn't so easily swayed.

"You have to pay the electric bill this month, Karin," he reminded her, "you don't need to waste your money on an overpriced phone charm," he added as Karin pouted prettily and Usui glanced down at her in surprise before a blush heated his face.

"Save your money. I'll buy it for you," he offered in a muttered whisper.

"But, Usui! You have to save your money too! Your mom is expecting you to help out with the bills. I couldn't let you buy this for me," Karin responded pointedly before she pouted at the charm and reluctantly set it back down where she had initially found it.

Maki watched as her friend struggled to pull herself away from the pile of cute charms, and gave in.

"I'll buy it for you, Karin," she offered happily. Karin glanced back at her in surprise before her eyes grew large.

"Really? That's so nice, but Usui was right, I don't really _need_ it," she replied with the slight shake of her head. Maki's smile merely grew as she tossed her a careless shrug.

"It's fine! I don't have any bills that need to be paid, and I should give you a present for letting me stay with you for these past couple days,"

"Maki..." Karin murmured happily before she suddenly clobbered her. Her arms wrapped around Maki's neck as she pulled her thin frame against her busty one and held her tightly, "I'm so happy that you're my best friend," she cooed as Maki merely waved her off and grabbed the charm Karin had been eying so eagerly.

She hurried to the checkout line and paid the shopkeeper the amount that he asked for. It was a bit overpriced, but the look of sheer joy on Karin's face when Maki presented her with it made the purchase worth while.

"Oh, thank you, thank you, _thank_ _you_!" she happily chanted as she delicately caressed the bow and doted upon it like it were a living creature. Maki paused as the thought of the little bat charm sparked her interest suddenly.

Hurrying over to the pile where she had last seen it, Maki let out a happy sigh when she found the charm sitting atop the stack. The chibi bat's yellow eyes seemed to idly stare back at her shimmering ones as if it had been expecting her to return for it. She picked up the charm by its black strap before she headed over to pay for it as well. For whatever reason, she couldn't imagine leaving the shop without it.

Karin eyed the charm curiously before she winked approvingly at Maki when she gave the shopkeeper more of her money.

When the group finally decided that it was time to leave, Maki had happily attached her new chibi bat charm to her phone. Karin had also attached her pink bow charm, and proudly showed it off to her other two companions.

Maki laughed at her friend's antics, and for the shortest of moments, had completely forgotten about Ren and their fight. It was only for a moment, though, for in the next she spotted the trio of bats still patiently waiting for them outside of the store.

She eyed them with a smile, hoping that Anju could see through them, and be able to see how much better Maki was feeling.

Unable to help herself, she wiggled her pinkie finger at them in greeting. The bat closest to her shuffled its wings about its body for a moment before it settled down again, sending her its own form of greeting in return. She smiled at it before she hurried after Karin and Usui.

* * *

Bridget Brownlick found herself lost in the many streets of the strange city that the Maaka family called home. She angrily blew a stray strand of blonde hair away from her eye as she huffed and puffed her way through the crowd.

She noticed a lot of male oriented stares in her direction in mild interest, somewhat curious as to whether or not she'd come into contact with a human showcasing her blood affinity that night. She had only entered the city a half hour before, and hadn't had much luck, but she also hadn't really been looking, either.

She had had a different agenda in mind. Taking down that vampire hunter that had returned to Japan after so many years. _Sinclair_, she snarled the name in her mind, utterly disgusted at the thought of a meddlesome vampire hunter trying to tangle in vampire affairs.

"And I could have visited my Renny tonight, if only I didn't have to take care of _that_ fool," she growled angrily under her breath. She kept a low profile as she walked, hoping to take the vampire hunter by surprise if she ran into him. She doubted he would be stupid enough to openly hunt in front of all of these humans, but she might at least be able to follow him into a secluded area...

Her lips curled into a deadly smile at the dark thoughts that filled her mind. Of all of the things she could do to the vampire hunter. Of all the ways she could _punish_ him, body and soul. She had just started picturing the scenario when the screams of a human caught her attention.

"Make way! I must get through! There is a vampire close by!" a young man's voice cried out over the crowd. Bridget's pointed ears pricked up at the sound as she tried to zero in on who was making all the fuss.

A moment later the crowd made room for a young man with blonde hair and blue eyes. Bridget eyed him curiously for a moment, noting how attractive he was for a human. She would have enjoyed eying the handsome boy a little longer if she hadn't noticed his choice of attire.

There, out in the open, was a boy clad in a vampire hunter's uniform.

Bridget held her breath as his blue eyes scanned the crowd, two metal rods in his hands. They twisted and spun in his palms as he glanced around menacingly. Bridget felt her skin crawl as she studied the boy. Could this boy be the vampire hunter that the others were so worried about? She had the desire to chuckle at the idea, but didn't want to draw attention to herself.

She'd simply wait and see if his instruments pointed him in her direction. She, like the rest of the crowd, stood motionless as he waited for his instruments to settle. When they finally stopped moving, and pointed forward, the boy let out a cheer of anticipation.

"I am hot on the vampire's trail! Fear not, civilians! I shall return victorious!" he assured the crowd, most of which didn't seem to really care. Bridget watched the boy bolt into the crowd in hot pursuit of his "vampire."

She snickered lightly to herself at his incompetence as a hunter, but stopped when she caught a familiar scent. Her nostrils flared and her eyes glittered mischievously.

"Oh Renny, it seems you have decided to come to me instead," she purred happily as she pushed her way through the frozen crowd. She no longer cared who stared at her now. She had a delicious vampire to sink her teeth into.

* * *

"Here we are!" Maki proclaimed happily as she glanced back at Usui and Karin once they reached her house. The bookstore entrance was locked by now, but Maki always hid a spare key to the back entrance under the rug by the door.

"Thanks for walking me home," she added as her friends nodded.

"It was fun! Thanks again for paying for my charm," Karin giggled as she snuggled the charm against her cheek affectionately. Maki merely smiled back before she noted Usui's rather neutral expression. He pulled a smile when he noticed her staring.

"We'll see you at school, but if you want to stay with me and my family at my house, don't hesitate to ask," Karin added before she clobbered Maki with another fierce hug. The green haired girl merely laughed before she returned the hug just as fiercely.

"Have a good night, and be safe on the way home!" Maki wished them farewell as the couple turned to start walking. Usui looked back for a second longer than Maki deemed appropriate, but noted that he was mouthing something to her.

"_Don't forget,"_ his voiceless command both shook as well as settled Maki's nerves when she realized the meaning behind those words. He didn't want her to forget that he'd always be there to help her if she had any questions. She curtly nodded her head to him in return.

Before long the couple was out of sight, and Maki hurried around to the back of her house where she found the spare key. She delicately unlocked the door before shutting it just as softly. She was about to head up the stairs to her room when she noted that a large garbage bag was pressed up against the wall.

"Of course Dad was too lazy to take out the trash," Maki muttered under her breath with a heavy sigh. She tip toed over to the discarded trash bag before she picked it up and tip toed her way back to the door. She gingerly unlocked it before opening the door once more.

Maki balanced the heavy garbage bag against her back as she shut the door behind her, mindful that it was kept unlocked. She walked over to the dumpster at the edge of the alley before she flung the bag into it and made her way back.

"Renny bab – who are you?" a sudden high pitched feminine voice squealed in surprise. Maki whirled around to spot a beautiful petite blonde in a long brown dress standing in the alleyway. A perplexed look screwed up her seemingly flawless features as she studied her closely. Maki visibly gulped before she hastily turned back around and made her way towards the back entrance of her house.

"Don't you _dare_ ignore _me_!" the woman shrieked angrily before she suddenly appeared before Maki, blocking her path with her tall and elegant figure, "tell me who you are, and why you smell so much like Ren Maaka," she commanded Maki feverishly.

Maki froze in fear as she struggled to compose herself, her own shock at this woman's strange abilities enough to stop her witty tongue cold.

"Speak!" the woman ground out before she grabbed Maki's blouse and forcefully pulled her closer, "speak now or I'll kill you right here, right now," she threatened darkly. Maki gazed into her burning blue eyes before a wave of courage swept through her, and her features relaxed.

"Get your hands off me," Maki ordered flatly, finding it odd that she suddenly felt so calm. She didn't fight it though, and instead found solace in the fact that the woman looked like she had been taken off guard by Maki's change of attitude as well.

"No human orders _me_ around," she seethed as she moved in closer until their faces were only mere inches apart, "Ren Maaka is _mine_. Whatever connection you have to him, end it now," she hissed.

"There is no connection. There never was," Maki spat back angrily. The woman smiled at her before she threw her head back and laughed.

"Do you take me for a fool?" she smiled at Maki before she hastily grabbed for her wrist and thrust the green bracelet aside, "then explain this!" she commanded hotly, and Maki let out a scream of pain as the woman's fingers gripped the sensitive bite marks on her wrist.

Her fingers leapt off of Maki's wrist like the marks had stung her before her enraged shriek echoed in the alleyway.

"He's marked you as _his_? How _dare_ he!" she seethed, seemingly more to herself than to Maki, "he's supposed to mark _me_! I am a full vampire worthy of him! Not some lowly human who can barely protect herself!" she snarled in a rage before her crazed eyes found Maki's once again.

"I know," she giggled suddenly, "I'll just kill you. With you gone, there will be nothing keeping Ren and I apart," she stated giddily before she grabbed Maki's side ponytail and roughly angled her head so that her neck was exposed to her.

Maki shook fearfully against her hold as the woman smiled down at her menacingly, the moonlight casting shadows along her face. Maki watched in horror as the woman's teeth elongated on their own accord before she steadily drew closer to her exposed neck.

Maki shut her eyes the moment she felt her hot breath caress her chilled skin, but let out a gasp of surprise when the pressure she had been exuding on her neck suddenly disappeared. She cautiously cracked one eye open only to see that the woman had been thrown against the wall at the far end of the alley.

She stared out at her in dazed confusion before she spotted a figure standing in front of her. His long legs were covered in a dressy pant suit followed by a bright green dress shirt that loosely hung on the figure's broad shoulders. A head of short silvery hair instantly clicked in Maki's mind as she struggled to stand.

"Don't move," Ren's silky voice commanded, and Maki halted mid-stand before she awkwardly fell back on her butt with a light grunt of surprise.

"What are you doing here?" Maki asked as the vampire continued to keep his back turned to her.

"What do you think I'm doing here? I'm here to save your naïve ass," he growled back impatiently.

"How did you – " she began but paused when Ren gestured to the bats perched on the rooftop above them. The bat trio stared down at Maki from their hanging position, and Maki let out a heavy sigh.

"I kept on eye on you after you left. I couldn't simply let you wander around the city with Sinclair still on the move," he replied. Maki blushed slightly at the realization that the bats she had assumed were Anju's were really Ren's. Her smile and pinkie wiggle greeting came back to mind as her cheeks flushed in embarrassment at the thought that she had been playfully motioning to _Ren_ the entire time.

"If you're still pissed at me for earlier...I'm sorry," Ren grumbled the last part, and had Maki not been hanging on to his every word, she might not have heard it. She smiled slightly at the thought of him apologizing for his actions, but it quickly fell when the woman at the opposite end of the alleyway got back on her feet.

"Ren! How dare you mark a _human_? I'm supposed to be your one and only," she whined before she moved in on him and wrapped her arms around his waist, "bite me, Ren. Make me yours, right here, right now. Do it in front of your precious human. Show her that marking her means nothing!" the woman urged hopefully, almost gleefully.

"What nonsense are you spouting out now, Bridget? I've already told you, I'm not yours. Why would you go after Maki? Are you that delusional that you think I might love you if you killed her?"

"Renny – what is the meaning of this? You aren't acting like yourself! She's changed you, hasn't she? Don't fret, my love. I shall kill her now, so that she won't have this affect on you any longer," Bridget's voice escalated and softened in an odd symphony of sounds and rhythms that Maki could only conclude that she was insane.

"Enough! I'm tired of this stupid game," Ren seethed, "leave now before I decided to kill you myself,"

Bridget looked at the other vampire like he had grown another head before a smile spread across her face.

"Kill me? Renny baby, you barely escaped with your unlife the last time we 'argued,' how could you possibly have the power to take me down now?" she teased, her own confidence sending shivers down Maki's spine.

"I didn't have my Blood Mate with me the last time," Ren replied surely, and signaled to Maki. Maki blinked in surprise before she glared daggers at Ren. How dare he entangle her in his web of lies? She wasn't going to risk her life on a bluff!

"Blood...Mate...?" Bridget breathed before something akin to fear darkened her features, "that's impossible...You're lying! No vampire has found their Blood Mate! Not since the twenty first century began!" she insisted urgently, as if to convince herself of the fact more so than to her opponents.

"It's true. Maki cannot be touched by another without feeling pain. She belongs to me. Body, mind, and soul,"

"Lies! Lies, I tell you!" Bridget shrieked as she madly shook her head back and forth in denial. Maki felt courage seep into her system at the sight of the vampiress shuddering in fear. She quickly got to her feet and made her way to Ren's side, and confidently wound an arm around his waist.

He turned to glance down at her through hooded lids, but Maki merely hinted for him to play along with the silent pleading of her eyes.

"It's true," Maki stated surely as Bridget gazed back up at the couple, "and as his Blood Mate, I shall do whatever it takes to ensure that he gets all that he needs from me to overpower you," she threatened, and was surprised at how sure her voice sounded.

Bridget's eyes narrowed dangerously at her words, but she kept her mouth sewn shut. With a grunt of annoyance she stood at her full height, easily towering over Maki as she did so, before she disappeared inside a massive group of bats.

"Don't think this is over. Ren _will_ be mine. I'll return when I find a Blood Mate of my own!" Bridget's voice promised menacingly from within the field of bats before they dispersed into the night sky.

When the last of Bridget's bats disappeared, Maki let out a heavy sigh and slouched forward.

"I was so terrified," she admitted before she glanced up at Ren with a wry grin, "good job on the whole 'Blood Mate' bit. She totally fell for it!" she complimented.

"That wasn't a bit," Ren replied as he surveyed her under partially hooded lids. Maki gulped at the sultry tone in his voice before she finally found her voice once again,

"Then what was it? The truth?" Maki asked back quietly. A devilish smile slowly spread across Ren's face before he wound an arm around her waist and playfully tugged her against his front.

"You tell me," he murmured as he inched his face closer to hers. Maki's cheeks flushed at their closeness before she roughly shoved him away, flashing back to what road a similar situation had led them.

"Don't you start that again. I'm still angry about the last time you tried hitting on me," Maki grumbled, but couldn't free herself from his hold. She noted with a slight grimace that his playful smile had faded and he seemed to be studying her gravely instead.

"You're no fun," Ren conceded after a hefty silence had fallen between the two. Maki blinked in surprise at his response before she quickly glared at him.

"What's that have to do with anything? You're the one who tried to play with my emotions, what did you expect? That I'd forgive you and let you continue to tease me? I don't think so!" she huffed.

"I apologized," he pointed out. Maki shut her eyes impatiently before she began shoving at his chest again.

"I don't need this. I wanted to be in my bed and asleep ten minutes ago," she seethed as the vampire growled slightly at her struggles.

"Your bed? Why wouldn't you desire to sleep in mine?"

"Because I know you'd be there,"

"Ouch,"

"Don't play innocent!" she seethed, "Admit it! You'd be teasing me within the first five minutes! I wouldn't be able to sleep a wink!"

"True, but that doesn't mean that I – "

"That's all I need to hear," Maki interrupted him before she crossed her arms over her chest, "now, if you please, I'd like to go to _my_ bed and get at least _some_ sleep,"

"Why would you need sleep when you have me at your disposal?" Ren asked curiously, as if he were truly stumped by the question.

"Ren," Maki grumbled his name impatiently. Ren let out an arrogant sigh before he stared at her in all seriousness for what felt like the first time that night.

"I can't let you go back," he insisted, "Sinclair is still hunting us down, and now that Bridget knows where you live...I can't trust your safety here,"

"My 'safety' isn't any of your concern," Maki bit back.

"It is to me," Maki paused at that, truly taken aback by the tenderness in the vampire's voice. Did he truly mean that? Her heart did a flip flop in her chest at the thought.

"Come back with me. You can sleep in my bed, and I promise not to disturb you for the rest of the evening. At least give me the small reassurance that you'll be safe for another night," Ren added, and Maki could only stare back at him in mild disbelief. He sounded like he actually meant what he said.

A small smirk tugged at the edges of his mouth, as if amused by her surprise.

"Do you promise?" Maki asked as she eyed the silver haired vampire suspiciously. His smirk grew into a grin as he unwound one of his arms to present her with his pinkie finger.

"Pinkie promise," he answered, and the childish words somehow sounded mature coming from his lips. Maki felt another blush coat her cheeks when he wiggled it at her in a similar manner that she had done to the bat she had thought belonged to Anju.

"Alright! I believe you! Just let me lock the back door, and we'll leave," Maki conceded in defeat. Ren was grinning from ear to ear, obviously pleased with himself, as Maki went to reluctantly lock the door and put the key back in its hiding place under the floor mat.

"At least I took the trash out," she muttered under her breath before she felt Ren's arms snake around her waist once more. She sent him a hot glare, which was met with a pearly white grin.

"I'm merely making sure that you're secure," he assured her silkily as he pressed his lips against her ear, "wouldn't want you to lose an arm or leg on the trip back," he purred. Despite her better judgement, Maki shivered against him as her heart beat faster in her chest at the sheer closeness of their bodies.

Choosing to ignore him, while secretly loathing the fact that he just had to be so attractive, they disappeared into a field of bats. Maki shut her eyes out of surprise before they popped open when she felt the weightlessness sensation overtake her suddenly.

The world that had previously been around them had dissipated away, and Maki found herself surrounded by darkness. Ren's arms tightened around her waist slightly, as if sensing her fear, and she relaxed against him. Knowing that he was there, and that she wasn't alone, made the trip slightly less jarring.

A second later the world returned to her, and the couple landed softly on the floor in front of Ren's bedroom. Maki took in the familiar sight of the darkened hallway before she felt Ren remove his arms from around her waist to open the door for her.

"After you," he offered as he stepped back to allow her room to walk inside. Maki nodded before she glanced at Ren worriedly.

"What about your family? I was supposed to talk to them about keeping my memory," she murmured back anxiously. Ren simply smiled before he shook his head.

"Leave them to me. Just sleep for now," he assured her. She smiled slightly at him before she nodded, trusting him to be true to his word. She turned to walk into the bedroom, but faltered slightly before she turned back around and threw her body against him.

She felt him stiffen slightly in surprise at her action before she wound her arms around his waist and held him tightly against her.

"Thank you, for saving me," she murmured timidly against his shirt. She felt him instantly relax against her body before he let out a humorless laugh.

"You're welcome," he replied before he draped one arm around her shoulders and returned the embrace. They soon broke apart before Maki wished him goodnight and disappeared into his room. Ren softly closed the door behind her with the slightest of smiles.

* * *

A/N: Done! Well, with this chapter at least! ^-^ Hope everyone liked it!


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